Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सावित्रीपतितैः सार्धं संबंधं न समाचरेत् । ऐणं च रौरवं वास्तं क्रमाच्चर्म द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

sāvitrīpatitaiḥ sārdhaṃ saṃbaṃdhaṃ na samācaret | aiṇaṃ ca rauravaṃ vāstaṃ kramāccarma dvijanmanām

Translation

Man soll keine Verbindung mit denen eingehen, die von der Sāvitrī abgefallen sind, das heißt, die das vedische Initiationsband verloren haben. Für die Zweimalgeborenen sind die vorgeschriebenen Felle der Reihe nach: Hirschfell, Ruru-Fell und Ziegenfell.

Word by Word

• sāvitrī-patitaiḥ: with those fallen from the Sāvitrī (initiation)
• sāvitrī-patitaiḥ: Karana/ Sahakari (Association instrument/सहकारि-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāvitrī (प्रातिपदिक) + patita (कृदन्त; √pat (पत्) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘fallen from/with respect to Sāvitrī (gāyatrī-initiation)’

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition/adverb): ‘together with’

• saṃbandham: relationship/association
• saṃbandham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃbandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• samācaret: should practice/should engage in
• samācaret: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√car (चर्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• aiṇam: (made) of antelope-skin
• aiṇam: Karma (Qualifier of implied noun/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (made of antelope/deer)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• rauravam: raurava-type (skin/cloth)
• rauravam: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ruru-deer/raurava type)

• vāstam: vāsta-type
• vāstam: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāsta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (pertaining to dwelling/‘vāsta’; context: material/type)

• kramāt: in due order; successively
• kramāt: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (ablative used adverbially): ‘in order/gradually’

• carma: skin; hide
• carma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (or प्रथमा/द्वितीया; here as object/acc.)

• dvijanmanām: of the twice-born
• dvijanmanām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijanman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of the twice-born’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame; not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined dvija student in Kāśī wearing prescribed skin and carrying staff, respectfully avoiding a group depicted as lapsed from Sāvitrī; the contrast is shown through posture and ritual insignia.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Keep company that supports dharma, and uphold visible disciplines that reinforce sacred commitment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma framework connected with Kāśī, without naming a particular tirtha here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance is given on association (avoid sāvitrī-patitas) and on prescribed skins used by dvijas in discipline.