Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

विस्तीर्णौ मांसलौ स्निग्धौ स्फिचावस्य सुखोचितौ । वामावर्तौ सुप्रलंबौ दोषौ दिग्रक्षणोचितौ

Transliteration

vistīrṇau māṃsalau snigdhau sphicāvasya sukhocitau | vāmāvartau supralaṃbau doṣau digrakṣaṇocitau

Translation

If his buttocks are broad, fleshy, and smooth—befitting comfort—and if his testicles are left-turning and well-hanging, then he is fit to guard the quarters, worthy of royal protection and command.

Word by Word

• vistīrṇau: broad/spread out
• vistīrṇau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√stṛ (धातु) → vistīrṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• māṃsalau: fleshy
• māṃsalau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māṃsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण

• snigdhau: smooth/oily
• snigdhau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण

• sphicau: buttocks (two)
• sphicau: Karta/Viśeṣya
• Type: Noun
• Root: sphic (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sukhocitau: fit for comfort
• sukhocitau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha + ucita (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (sukhasya ucitau)

• vāmāvartau: left-turning
• vāmāvartau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāma + āvarta (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (vāmasya āvartaḥ)

• supralaṃbau: very pendulous/long-hanging
• supralaṃbau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + pralaṃba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः (su-pralaṃbau)

• doṣau: testicles (two)
• doṣau: Karta/Viśeṣya
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• digrakṣaṇocitau: fit for guarding the quarters (directions)
• digrakṣaṇocitau: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dik + rakṣaṇa + ucita (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय/त्रय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (digrakṣaṇe ucitau / dig-rakṣaṇasya ucitau)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene where the teacher describes marks signifying a protector-commander; imagery can shift to a symbolic ‘digpāla’ mandala behind the student, implying fitness to guard directions.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority is linked with protective duty (dik-rakṣaṇa), emphasizing rulership as responsibility grounded in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is referenced; it is a lakṣaṇa teaching within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes signs associated with capacity for royal protection.