Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अतीवजीर्णवपुषं परिपिंगजटान्वितम् । मूर्तिमंतंमिव प्रांशुं धर्मं जनमनोहरम्

Transliteration

atīvajīrṇavapuṣaṃ paripiṃgajaṭānvitam | mūrtimaṃtaṃmiva prāṃśuṃ dharmaṃ janamanoharam

Translation

كان جسده بالغَ الهرم، وجدائله الملبّدة مائلةً إلى الصفرة تحيط برأسه؛ طويل القامة آسرًا لقلوب الناس، كأنّ الدَّرما نفسها قد تجسّدت في صورة منظورة.

Word by Word

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अतिशयवाचक

• जीर्णवपुषम्: having a worn-out body
• जीर्णवपुषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीर्ण (कृदन्त) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; जीर्ण = जॄ (धातु) + क्त; कर्मधारयः: जीर्णं वपुः

• परिपिङ्गजटान्वितम्: endowed with tawny matted locks
• परिपिङ्गजटान्वितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अन्वित = अनु-इ (धातु) + क्त; समासः: पिङ्गाः जटाः यस्य/येन (तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थ-सन्निकर्षः)

• मूर्तिमन्तम्: embodied, having form
• मूर्तिमन्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (मतुप्/मन्त) = 'possessed of form'

• इव: as if, like
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक-निपात (particle of comparison)

• प्रांशुम्: tall, lofty
• प्रांशुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: Dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• जनमनोहरम्: delighting people’s minds
• जनमनोहरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: जनस्य मनोहरः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A towering, extremely aged ascetic with tawny matted locks encircling his head; despite frailty, his presence is luminous and mind-captivating—like Dharma personified standing before onlookers.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma (personified)
• Tapodhana (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma shines through tapas and simplicity; a saint’s presence can manifest righteousness more than words.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is glorified as a place where such dharma-embodying ascetics are encountered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the focus is on the darśana and qualities of the ascetic.