Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

उदीची दिक्स्पृशमपि स मुनिर्मातरिश्वनम् । प्रसार्य बाहू संश्लिष्य काश्याः पृच्छेदनामयम्

Transliteration

udīcī dikspṛśamapi sa munirmātariśvanam | prasārya bāhū saṃśliṣya kāśyāḥ pṛcchedanāmayam

Translation

Obwohl er nur die nördliche Richtung zu berühren vermochte, breitete der Weise die Arme aus, umschlang den Wind und erkundigte sich nach dem Wohlergehen von Kāśī.

Word by Word

• उदीची: northern
• उदीची: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies दिक्)

• दिक्: direction
• दिक्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्पृशम्: touching
• स्पृशम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle) का द्वितीया-एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग-रूप (used adverbially/with implied 'being/touching'); 'touching'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मातरिश्वनम्: Mātariśvan (Vāyu/wind)
• मातरिश्वनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातरिश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वायुवाचक-नाम (name of Vāyu)

• प्रसार्य: having stretched out
• प्रसार्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having stretched/spread'

• बाहू: (his) two arms
• बाहू: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• संश्लिष्य: having embraced
• संश्लिष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√श्लिष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having embraced/clasped'

• काश्याः: of Kāśī
• काश्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पृच्छेत्: would ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनामयम्: well-being/health
• अनामयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनामय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (अर्थे: 'well-being/health')

Speaker

Vyāsa (continuing narration from 69)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (addressed through the northward wind)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage stands facing north, arms outstretched, embracing the wind as if it were a beloved messenger; his lips ask, ‘Is Kāśī well?’ The landscape bends with the breeze, suggesting the wind’s responsiveness.

Characters & Entities

• Muni (unnamed)
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion turns even the elements into messengers; longing for the sacred dhāma (Kāśī) becomes a continuous remembrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is directly referenced and treated as a living sacred realm whose welfare is cherished.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse depicts devotional gesture and remembrance rather than a formal rite.