Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अतीवजीर्णवपुषं परिपिंगजटान्वितम् । मूर्तिमंतंमिव प्रांशुं धर्मं जनमनोहरम्

Transliteration

atīvajīrṇavapuṣaṃ paripiṃgajaṭānvitam | mūrtimaṃtaṃmiva prāṃśuṃ dharmaṃ janamanoharam

Translation

Sein Leib war überaus gealtert, und seine verfilzten, gelblich-braunen Jatā-Locken umkränzten sein Haupt; hochgewachsen und den Menschenherzen lieblich, als hätte Dharma selbst sichtbare Gestalt angenommen.

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.