Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

राज्ञीत्वसूचकं स्त्रीणां पादपृष्ठं समुन्नतम् । अस्वेदमशिराढ्यं च मसृणं मृदुमांसलम्

Transliteration

rājñītvasūcakaṃ strīṇāṃ pādapṛṣṭhaṃ samunnatam | asvedamaśirāḍhyaṃ ca masṛṇaṃ mṛdumāṃsalam

Translation

Bei Frauen gilt ein erhöhter Fußrücken als Hinweis auf königliches Glück. Ebenso wird ein Fuß gepriesen, der nicht schwitzt, keine hervortretenden Adern zeigt, glatt, weich und fleischig ist—ein Zeichen von Wohlstand.

Word by Word

• राज्ञीत्वसूचकम्: indicating queenship
• राज्ञीत्वसूचकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्ञीत्व + सूचक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञीत्वस्य सूचकं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Genitive tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• पादपृष्ठम्: the instep/top of the foot
• पादपृष्ठम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पादस्य पृष्ठम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Genitive tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• समुन्नतम्: raised
• समुन्नतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उन्नत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √नम्/उन्नत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Past participial adjective; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• अस्वेदम्: not sweating, dry
• अस्वेदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Negative adjective; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• अशिराढ्यम्: not rich in veins, veinless
• अशिराढ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शिरा + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (शिराभिः न आढ्यं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Negative tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• मसृणम्: smooth
• मसृणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मसृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Adjective; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• मृदुमांसलम्: soft and fleshy
• मृदुमांसलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु + मांसल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: कर्मधारय (मृदु च तत् मांसलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Karmadhāraya; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A refined depiction of a noble woman’s feet: elevated instep, smooth skin, soft fleshy form, minimal visible veins—presented as rājñītva-sūcaka (queenly sign).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse frames outer qualities as traditional symbols for inner harmony and destined well-being, encouraging a dharmic reading of ‘śubha-lakṣaṇa’ (auspicious signs).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The authority is Kāśī-khaṇḍa (Vārāṇasī’s sacred teaching corpus), though this particular verse does not name a distinct tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a lakṣaṇa (sign) description, not a ritual injunction.