Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कलौ कलुषचित्तानां परद्रव्यरतात्मनाम् । विधिहीनक्रियाणां च गतिर्गंगा विना नहि

Transliteration

kalau kaluṣacittānāṃ paradravyaratātmanām | vidhihīnakriyāṇāṃ ca gatirgaṃgā vinā nahi

Translation

在迦利时代，心念污浊、贪恋他人财物、行事失于正法者，若离开圣河恒伽（Gaṅgā），便无真实归依与解脱之路。

Word by Word

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालवाचक-सप्तमी

• कलुषचित्तानाम्: of those with impure minds
• कलुषचित्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलुष + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (कलुषं चित्तं येषाम्) — बहुव्रीह्यर्थे षष्ठी-बहुवचन (of those whose minds are impure)

• परद्रव्यरतात्मनाम्: of those whose hearts are attached to others' wealth
• परद्रव्यरतात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + द्रव्य + रत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (परद्रव्ये रतः आत्मा येषाम्)

• विधिहीनक्रियाणाम्: of those whose rites are devoid of proper rule
• विधिहीनक्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि + हीन + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-समासः (विधिना हीनाः क्रियाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गतिः: refuge, goal
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक उपपद (preposition-like indeclinable: without)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa often Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dialogue frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark Kali-yuga scene: people with troubled faces, grasping at wealth, neglected rituals; in contrast, the Gaṅgā flows radiant, with a compassionate divine presence inviting purification; a pilgrim turns from greed toward the river in remorse.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Kali-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid Kali-yuga’s ethical and ritual decline, Gaṅgā is upheld as an incomparable refuge for purification and uplift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā is presented as the indispensable tīrtha for Kali-yuga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is named; the verse asserts dependence on Gaṅgā (approach, remembrance, service, and bathing are implied).