Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पुरा कलिंगविषये द्विजो लवणविक्रयी । संध्यास्नानविहीनश्च वेदाक्षरविवर्जितः

Transliteration

purā kaliṃgaviṣaye dvijo lavaṇavikrayī | saṃdhyāsnānavihīnaśca vedākṣaravivarjitaḥ

Translation

Einst, im Lande Kaliṅga, lebte ein Zweimalgeborener, der seinen Lebensunterhalt mit dem Verkauf von Salz bestritt. Er war ohne das tägliche Sandhyā-Gebet und das rituelle Bad und hatte sogar die Rezitation vedischer Silben aufgegeben.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/once)

• कलिङ्गविषये: in the region of Kaliṅga
• कलिङ्गविषये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्गविषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कलिङ्ग + विषय (तत्पुरुष)

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लवणविक्रयी: a seller of salt
• लवणविक्रयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण + विक्रयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—लवणस्य विक्रयी (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• संध्यास्नानविहीनः: devoid of twilight-bath (daily rites)
• संध्यास्नानविहीनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संध्या + स्नान + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—संध्यास्नानात् विहीनः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• वेदाक्षरविवर्जितः: deprived of Vedic syllables (Vedic learning)
• वेदाक्षरविवर्जितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + अक्षर + विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—वेदाक्षरैः विवर्जितः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poor dvija in Kaliṅga selling salt in a marketplace, outwardly marked by sacred thread yet inwardly neglecting sandhyā and Vedic recitation; a moral contrast between external sign and inner practice.

Characters & Entities

• Kaliṅga
• Vāhīka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Birth-status without daily dharma (sandhyā, snāna, Vedic study) becomes spiritually hollow; conduct, not label, safeguards merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as moral background within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s larger sacred-geography teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sandhyā observance and regular snāna (ritual bathing), along with Vedic recitation/study, are highlighted by contrast as neglected duties.