Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

कुश प्रतिकृतिं कृत्वा तीर्थवारिणि मज्जयेत् । मज्जयेच्च यमुद्दिश्य सोष्टमांशं लभेत वै

Transliteration

kuśa pratikṛtiṃ kṛtvā tīrthavāriṇi majjayet | majjayecca yamuddiśya soṣṭamāṃśaṃ labheta vai

Translation

以库沙草（kuśa）制成象征之形，当沉入 tīrtha 之水中；若以阎摩（Yama）为念而沉之，确实可得 tīrtha 圆满功德之八分之一。

Word by Word

• कुश: kuśa grass
• कुश: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (कुशम् इति अर्थः; पदपाठे रूप-लोपः)

• प्रतिकृतिम्: an effigy/representation
• प्रतिकृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-कृति (प्रातिपदिक); प्रति + कृति
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रतिरूपा कृतिः’ (a likeness/effigy)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having made’

• तीर्थवारिणि: in the tīrtha-water
• तीर्थवारिणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-वारि (प्रातिपदिक); तीर्थ + वारि
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘तीर्थस्य वारि’ (tīrtha-water)

• मज्जयेत्: should immerse
• मज्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: ‘should immerse’)

• मज्जयेत्: should immerse
• मज्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; पुनरुक्ति

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: intending/dedicating to
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्), ‘having intended/addressed (for)’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अष्टमांशम्: an eighth part
• अष्टमांशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टम-अंश (प्रातिपदिक); अष्टम + अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• लभेत: would obtain/should obtain
• लभेत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Generic tīrtha-jala (within Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim on the ghat crafts a small human-shaped effigy from kuśa grass, holds it with mantra, and gently immerses it into the tīrtha waters, contemplating Yama.

Characters & Entities

• Kuśa
• Tīrtha
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even symbolic tīrtha-acts carry dharmic efficacy, though the merit is proportionate and graded.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Any tīrtha-water (tīrthavāri) recognized in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Making a kuśa-grass effigy and immersing it in tīrtha waters, dedicating the act with Yama in mind.