Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

अपास्तभोगसंपर्का भोगिनां वृत्तिमाश्रिता । क्षुदुद्बोधनिरोधाय धूतपापा तपस्विनी

Transliteration

apāstabhogasaṃparkā bhogināṃ vṛttimāśritā | kṣududbodhanirodhāya dhūtapāpā tapasvinī

Translation

Von jedem Umgang mit Genüssen gelöst und die strenge Lebensweise der Asketen annehmend, zügelte Dhūtapāpā, die Tapasvinī, selbst das Aufsteigen des Hungers, auf innere Meisterschaft bedacht.

Word by Word

• अपास्तभोगसंपर्का: having cast off contact with pleasures
• अपास्तभोगसंपर्का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपास्त (√अस्/√स्था + क्त, ‘अप-आ-स्त’/‘अपास्त’ कृदन्त) + भोग + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘भोगसंपर्कः अपास्तः यस्याः सा’ (sense close to बहुव्रीहि, but form used adjectivally)

• भोगिनाम्: of pleasure-seekers
• भोगिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• वृत्तिम्: conduct, mode of life
• वृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आश्रिता: having resorted to
• आश्रिता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• क्षुदुद्बोधनिरोधाय: for preventing the arousal of hunger
• क्षुदुद्बोधनिरोधाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत्/क्षुद् (भूख) + उद्बोधन + निरोध (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ चतुर्थी (dative of purpose)

• धूतपापा: with sins shaken off
• धूतपापा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूत (√धू + क्त) + पाप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तपस्विनी: the female ascetic
• तपस्विनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The tapasvinī Dhūtapāpā sits in deep austerity, body lean, eyes steady; a simple water pot and kusa mat nearby; the forest is quiet, suggesting hunger subdued and senses withdrawn.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūtapāpā
• hunger (kṣut)
• ascetic regimen (vṛtti)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is strengthened by indriya-nigraha—rejecting pleasure and disciplining bodily urges like hunger.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred environment is implicit; the verse highlights the sādhana (practice) rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit vrata-like austerity is described: renunciation of pleasures and restraint of appetite.