Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

अष्टांगार्घो यमुद्दिष्टस्त्वतीव रवितोषणः । गांगैर्वार्भिः कोटिगुणो ज्ञेयो विष्णोऽन्यवारितः

Transliteration

aṣṭāṃgārgho yamuddiṣṭastvatīva ravitoṣaṇaḥ | gāṃgairvārbhiḥ koṭiguṇo jñeyo viṣṇo'nyavāritaḥ

Translation

此所宣说之八支阿尔伽，最能悦乐日神罗毗。若以恒河水奉献，当知其功德增至亿倍；此乃毗湿奴无可置疑之宣言。

Word by Word

• अष्टाङ्गार्घः: the eight-limbed arghya (eight-item offering)
• अष्टाङ्गार्घः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + अङ्ग + अर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘अष्टानाम् अङ्गानाम् अर्घः’

• यम्: which
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative pronoun)

• उद्दिष्टः: prescribed/mentioned
• उद्दिष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः ‘designated/mentioned’

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अत्यर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: exceedingly)

• रवितोषणः: pleaser of the Sun
• रवितोषणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि + तोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘रविं तोषयति’ इत्यर्थे (agent-noun)

• गाङ्गैः: with Gaṅgā’s
• गाङ्गैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (वार्भिः इत्यस्य), तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वार्भिः)

• वार्भिः: by waters
• वार्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कोटिगुणः: a crore-fold
• कोटिगुणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अष्टाङ्गार्घः)

• ज्ञेयः: to be known
• ज्ञेयः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘should be known’

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अन्यवारितः: not obstructed by others / otherwise prevented
• अन्यवारितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य + वारित (कृदन्त; √वृ/वारय्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अन्यैः वारितः’ (prevented by others/otherwise prevented)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-jala (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers an eightfold arghya at the Gaṅgā; the water glows as it streams from the hands; Sūrya’s rays intensify, and a subtle Viṣṇu-like divine affirmation appears as a celestial inscription or presence.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Gaṅgā
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right ritual form joined to the sanctity of Gaṅgā water multiplies merit and pleases the deity profoundly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā in Kāśī—Gaṅgā-jala is presented as uniquely potent for arghya and allied rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering the prescribed eightfold arghya to Sūrya, ideally using Gaṅgā water for greatly increased merit.