Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

एकभक्तेन नक्तेन तथैवायाचितेन च । उपवासेन देहोयं संशोध्यो शुचिभाजनम्

Transliteration

ekabhaktena naktena tathaivāyācitena ca | upavāsena dehoyaṃ saṃśodhyo śucibhājanam

Translation

بالأكل مرةً واحدة في اليوم، وبنذر طعام الليل، وبقبول ما يُعطى دون طلب، وبالصوم—ينبغي تنقية هذا الجسد، فهو وعاءٌ معدٌّ للطهارة، فيُطهَّر ويُهذَّب.

Word by Word

• ekabhaktena: by taking a single meal (once-a-day food)
• ekabhaktena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समासः—एकभक्त (एकं भक्तं यस्य/एकभक्तम् = एकवारं भोजनम्)

• naktena: by night-only (night meal/at night)
• naktena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘नक्त’ = रात्रौ (रात्रिभोजन/रात्रौ एव)

• tathā: thus, likewise
• tathā: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• ayācitena: by what is unasked-for (unsolicited food)
• ayācitena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-yācita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘अयाचित’ (अनयाचितम् = बिना याचनया लब्धम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (Conjunction/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• upavāsena: by fasting
• upavāsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• dehaḥ: the body
• dehaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• saṃśodhyaḥ: is to be purified
• saṃśodhyaḥ: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-śudh (धातु) → saṃśodhya (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम्; भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक—‘शोधनीयः’ (to be purified)

• śucibhājanam: a pure vessel (fit receptacle)
• śucibhājanam: Predicate (Complement/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + bhājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—शुचि च तत् भाजनम् (pure vessel)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A restrained pilgrim in Kāśī, seated near a ghat at dusk, taking a simple single meal; nearby, a water-pot and prayer beads; the atmosphere suggests disciplined purity before sacred acts.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Physical discipline supports inner purity; the body becomes fit for dharma through regulated intake and fasting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse outlines general vrata-austerities within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ekabhakta (one meal), Nakta (night meal), Ayācita (unsolicited food), and Upavāsa (fasting).