Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

चित्रकूपे नरः स्नात्वा विचित्रफलदे नृणाम् । चित्रगुप्तेश्वरं वीक्ष्य चित्रघंटां प्रपूज्य च

Transliteration

citrakūpe naraḥ snātvā vicitraphalade nṛṇām | citragupteśvaraṃ vīkṣya citraghaṃṭāṃ prapūjya ca

Translation

人在赐予众生奇妙果报的吉特拉库帕（Citrakūpa）沐浴之后，应瞻礼吉特拉古普特自在主（Citragupt-eśvara），并供奉礼拜吉特拉甘塔（Citraghaṇṭā）。

Word by Word

• citra-kūpe: in the Citra-well
• citra-kūpe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + kūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Locative Singular

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Nominative Singular

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √snā (स्ना) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund) — having bathed

• vi-citra-phala-de: in (the place) that gives various fruits (results)
• vi-citra-phala-de: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-citra (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + da (कृदन्त; √dā दा + क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Locative Singular; विशेषणम् (to citra-kūpe)

• nṛṇām: of men
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् — Masculine Genitive Plural

• citra-gupta-īśvaram: Citraguptēśvara (Lord of Citragupta)
• citra-gupta-īśvaram: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citragupta (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Accusative Singular

• vīkṣya: having seen
• vīkṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्) + ल्यप् (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययम् (gerund) — having seen

• citra-ghaṃṭām: the Citra-bell (Goddess/Deity)
• citra-ghaṃṭām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + ghaṃṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Accusative Singular

• prapūjya: having worshipped
• prapūjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√pūj (पूज्) + ल्यप् (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययम् (gerund) — having worshipped

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः — conjunction

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Citrakūpa (with Citragupt-eśvara and Citraghaṇṭā)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim bathes at the well of Citrakūpa, then proceeds to behold Citragupt-eśvara (liṅga) and worship Devī Citraghaṇṭā, whose bell symbolism suggests vigilant protection and awakening.

Characters & Entities

• Citrakūpa
• Citragupteśvara
• Citraghaṇṭā
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī pilgrimage is a sequence of purifying acts—snāna, darśana, and pūjā—each amplifying spiritual merit and auspicious results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Citrakūpa tīrtha, along with the associated sites of Citragupteśvara and Citraghaṇṭā in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna at Citrakūpa, darśana of Citragupteśvara, and prapūjā (proper worship) of Citraghaṇṭā.