Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

पीयूषवत्स्वादुतरैः सुखस्पर्शैर्गवांगवत् । निष्पापधीवद्गंभीरैस्तरलैः पापिशर्मवत्

Transliteration

pīyūṣavatsvādutaraiḥ sukhasparśairgavāṃgavat | niṣpāpadhīvadgaṃbhīraistaralaiḥ pāpiśarmavat

Translation

其甘美胜于甘露（amṛta），触感怡悦如牛之肢体；深沉如无罪之慧，流动柔和，亦能赐安乐于罪人。

Word by Word

• पीयूषवत्: like nectar
• पीयूषवत्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमानम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीयूष (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्तम्; उपमान-विशेषणम् (like nectar)

• स्वादुतरैः: with sweeter (ones)
• स्वादुतरैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक) + तर (तद्धित; comparative)
• Form: तर-प्रत्ययान्त-विशेषणम् (comparative: sweeter); पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• सुखस्पर्शैः: with pleasant touch
• सुखस्पर्शैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (सुखः स्पर्शः); पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• गवत्: like (that)
• गवत्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमानम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वत् (तद्धित; -वत्)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्तम्; उपमानार्थे (like/possessing)

• निष्पापधीवत्: like a sinless mind
• निष्पापधीवत्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमानम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (निष्पापा धीः); वत्-प्रत्ययान्तम्; उपमान-विशेषणम् (like sinless intellect)

• गंभीरैः: with deep (ones)
• गंभीरैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गंभीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तरलैः: with clear/limpid (ones)
• तरलैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पापिशर्मवत्: like (soothing) comfort
• पापिशर्मवत्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमानम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापि (प्रातिपदिक) + शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (पापिनः शर्म); वत्-प्रत्ययान्तम्; उपमान-विशेषणम् (like the comfort of a sinner / like sinful ease)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī tīrtha-jala (Gaṅgā-associated, implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vessel of sacred water appears honeyed and luminous, flowing gently; a cow motif suggests soft, auspicious touch; the water’s depth is shown as a dark, calm undercurrent while the surface ripples kindly toward a penitent devotee.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha-jala
• Gau (cow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace is compassionate: the tīrtha is gentle and beneficent, lifting even the fallen toward purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sacred waters used for Śiva worship and purification rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied tīrtha-snāna and abhiṣeka using these praised waters.