Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 130

Devanagari script

कृष्णः स एव भर्तृघ्न्याः पुंश्चल्याश्च प्रकीर्तितः । नाभेरधस्तात्तिलकं मशको लांछनं शुभम्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇaḥ sa eva bhartṛghnyāḥ puṃścalyāśca prakīrtitaḥ | nābheradhastāttilakaṃ maśako lāṃchanaṃ śubham

Translation

تُوصَفُ تلك العلامةُ الشديدةُ السواد بأنها دلالةُ قاتلةِ الزوج وامرأةٍ مُتفلّتة. أمّا علامةٌ كالتِّيلَكَة تحت السُّرّة—وخَالٌ ميمونٌ على هيئة بعوضة—فهي من العلامات المحمودة.

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa (name)
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Anvaya/Co-referent (अन्वय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• भर्तृघ्न्याः: of the husband-slayer (woman)
• भर्तृघ्न्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृघ्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुंश्चल्याः: of the unchaste woman
• पुंश्चल्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंश्चली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रकीर्तितः: is proclaimed/said
• प्रकीर्तितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (passive sense: 'is proclaimed')

• नाभेः: of the navel
• नाभेः: Adhikarana/Relation (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अधस्तात्: below
• अधस्तात्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तिलकम्: a mark/tilaka
• तिलकम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्तृ/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मशकः: a mosquito
• मशकः: Visheshana/Identifier (विशेषण/लक्षण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लाञ्छनम्: a sign/mark
• लाञ्छनम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्तृ/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाञ्छन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Ghaṭodbhava) and/or assembled sages (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene: Skanda (or the speaker) instructs a sage/assembly on auspicious and inauspicious bodily marks—tilaka-like sign below the navel and a small mosquito-shaped mole—contrasted with ominous dark marks; palm-leaf manuscript and ritual setting implied.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames marital harmony as linked with dharmic discernment—choosing a spouse carefully and valuing auspiciousness for household welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it occurs within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader Kāśī-dharma context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa) is prescribed; it is an omens/characteristics passage connected to marriage.