Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

पंचदीर्घाणि शस्यानि यथादीर्घायुषोस्य वै । भुजौ नेत्रे हनुर्जानु नासाऽस्य तनयस्य ते

Transliteration

paṃcadīrghāṇi śasyāni yathādīrghāyuṣosya vai | bhujau netre hanurjānu nāsā'sya tanayasya te

Translation

For long life, five long features are indeed praised in him: the arms, the eyes, the jaw, the knees, and the nose of this son of yours.

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (numeral adjective; neuter nom/acc plural)

• दीर्घाणि: long
• दीर्घाणि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (neuter nom/acc plural)

• शस्यानि: (are) the praiseworthy/commendable features
• शस्यानि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (neuter nominative plural)

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative/manner indeclinable: “as/according to”)

• दीर्घायुषः: of long-lived (one)
• दीर्घायुषः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारयः; पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (masc genitive singular)

• अस्य: of this (child)
• अस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (pronoun; masc genitive singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Prayojaka/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• भुजौ: (two) arms
• भुजौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचनम् (masc nom/acc dual)

• नेत्रे: (two) eyes
• नेत्रे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचनम् (neuter nom/acc dual)

• हनुः: jaw
• हनुः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (feminine nominative singular)

• जानु: knee
• जानु: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neuter nom/acc singular)

• नासा: nose
• नासा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (feminine nominative singular)

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (pronoun; masc genitive singular)

• तनयस्य: of the son/child
• तनयस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (masc genitive singular)

• ते: your
• ते: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (pronoun; genitive singular: “your”)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) narrating to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned elder/ṛṣi in Kāśī examines a child’s limbs and face, pointing out five ‘long’ features as signs of long life; background suggests ghāṭas, temples, and the Ganga’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• tanaya (son)
• dvija (implied addressee context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Life and destiny are read through auspicious signs, reminding that one’s gifts should be directed toward dharmic living and service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s larger frame is the glory of Kāśī, but this verse itself discusses longevity signs.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; it lists physical indicators traditionally associated with long life.