Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

गंगाहीना यथा देशाः पुत्रहीना यथा गृहाः । दानहीना यथा संपच्छिवहीना तथा क्रिया

Transliteration

gaṃgāhīnā yathā deśāḥ putrahīnā yathā gṛhāḥ | dānahīnā yathā saṃpacchivahīnā tathā kriyā

Translation

国土无恒河（Gaṅgā）则失其胜妙，家宅无子嗣则失其兴盛，财富无布施则失其光辉；同样，离开湿婆（Śiva），一切仪式皆为减损。

Word by Word

• गङ्गाहीना: without the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गाहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गङ्गया हीना = without Gaṅgā)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• देशाः: countries/regions
• देशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• पुत्रहीना: without a son
• पुत्रहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पुत्रेण हीना = without a son)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• गृहाः: houses
• गृहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• दानहीना: without charity
• दानहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दानेन हीना = without charity)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• सम्पत्: prosperity
• सम्पत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sampad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• शिवहीना: without Śiva
• शिवहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिवेन हीना = without Śiva)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम्

• क्रिया: ritual action
• क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (Gaṅgā-tīrtha)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic Kāśī landscape: Gaṅgā flowing beside ghāṭs; households with sons (symbolic continuity); a donor giving alms; and a devotee completing the sequence at a Śiva shrine—showing the chain of ‘supporting principles’.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Śiva
• Kāśī (implied Gaṅgā-Kāśī nexus)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred supports—Gaṅgā, charity, and above all Śiva—are what make religious life and rites truly complete.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā is explicitly invoked, strongly pointing to Kāśī on the Gaṅgā as the living field of Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charity) is praised as essential to prosperity; rites should be performed with Śiva as their center.