Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कौपीनमात्र वसनान्स्मरारि ध्यान तत्परान् । कक्षीकृतमहालाबून्हुडुत्कारजितांबुदान्

Transliteration

kaupīnamātra vasanānsmarāri dhyāna tatparān | kakṣīkṛtamahālābūnhuḍutkārajitāṃbudān

Translation

In Kāśī erblickte er Asketen, die nur ein Kaupin trugen, ganz der Meditation über Smarāri (Śiva, den Feind Kāmas) hingegeben, mit großen Kürbisgefäßen an der Seite; ihre schlichten Rufe schienen selbst das Donnern der Wolken zu übertreffen.

Word by Word

• कौपीनमात्र: having only a loincloth
• कौपीनमात्र: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौपीन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (विशेषण) ‘केवल-कौपीन-परिमित’

• वसनान्: garments
• वसनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्मरारि: the foe of Kāma (Śiva)
• स्मरारि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मर (प्रातिपदिक) + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास; प्रथमा/सम्बोधन-एकवचन (समासान्त-प्रातिपदिक); ‘स्मरस्य अरिः’ (शिवः)

• ध्यान: meditation
• ध्यान: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• तत्परान्: intent on that
• तत्परान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (विशेषण) ‘तस्मिन् परः’

• कक्षीकृत: held under the arm
• कक्षीकृत: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कक्षी-√कृ (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘कक्ष्यां कृत’ (बगल में धारण किये हुए)

• महालाबून्: large gourds
• महालाबून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लाबू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘महान् लाबूः’

• हुडुत्कारजित: conquered by loud cries (huḍutkāra)
• हुडुत्कारजित: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुडुत्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + √जि (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘हुडुत्कारैः जित’

• अम्बुदान्: clouds
• अम्बुदान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (rṣi/sūta frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī street/ghāṭa scene with loincloth-clad ascetics absorbed in Śiva-dhyāna, gourds slung at their sides, their sharp calls echoing like thunder under a monsoon sky; Durvāsā (or a pilgrim-seer) observing with wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Śiva (Smarāri)
• ascetics (vairāgins/munis)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a natural refuge for intense Śiva-meditation and radical simplicity, where renunciation itself becomes a sign of spiritual excellence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), celebrated as a field of Śiva-bhakti and ascetic discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse highlights sādhana through dhyāna (meditation) and aparigraha-like simplicity.