Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ऋणापनुत्तये मातुः कारितो न जलाशयः । नातिथिस्तोषितः क्वापि स्वर्गमार्गप्रदर्शकः

Transliteration

ṛṇāpanuttaye mātuḥ kārito na jalāśayaḥ | nātithistoṣitaḥ kvāpi svargamārgapradarśakaḥ

Translation

为偿还对母亲的恩债，我未曾修建蓄水之所；也未曾在任何时候使来客心满意足——而待客之道正是指示通往天界之路。

Word by Word

• ऋणापनुत्तये: for the removal of debt
• ऋणापनुत्तये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण-अपनुत्ति (प्रातिपदिक; ऋण + अपनुत्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थे चतुर्थी (purpose: ‘for the removal’)

• मातुः: of (one’s) mother
• मातुः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• कारितः: made/constructed (caused)
• कारितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारित (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (causative PPP: ‘caused to be made’)

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

• जलाशयः: a water-reservoir/pond
• जलाशयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल-आशय (प्रातिपदिक; जल + आशय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

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

• अतिथिः: a guest
• अतिथिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• तोषितः: satisfied/pleased
• तोषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तोषित (कृदन्त; √तुष् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (causative PPP: ‘made satisfied’)

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनिश्चितार्थक अव्यय (indefinite adverb: ‘anywhere’)

• स्वर्गमार्गप्रदर्शकः: showing the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गप्रदर्शकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग-मार्ग-प्रदर्शक (प्रातिपदिक; स्वर्ग + मार्ग + प्रदर्शक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अतिथिḥ implied as ‘guide’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa default dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A half-built pond/stepwell lies dry; a mother figure is shown in dignified silhouette, while weary guests stand at a doorway with empty bowls—contrasted with a luminous ‘svarga-mārga’ path in the sky, indicating what hospitality reveals.

Characters & Entities

• Mātṛ (mother)
• Atithi (guest)
• Jalāśaya (pond/tank)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes gratitude to one’s mother and service to society (water works), along with atithi-satkara; these are framed as direct supports for auspicious destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context implies Kāśī’s pilgrimage culture, where ponds, tanks, and hospitality to travelers are especially meritorious, though no single tirtha is named.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Constructing a jalāśaya (pond/tank) as a meritorious act, and honoring/satisfying guests (atithi-toṣaṇa).