Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

एकैकांगुलह्रासेन वर्णेष्वन्येषु कीर्तितम् । आम्राम्रातक धात्रीणां कंकोल खदिरोद्भवम्

Transliteration

ekaikāṃgulahrāsena varṇeṣvanyeṣu kīrtitam | āmrāmrātaka dhātrīṇāṃ kaṃkola khadirodbhavam

Translation

For the other classes (of people), it is taught that the length should be reduced by one aṅgula each. Suitable twigs are from mango, amrātaka (hog-plum), and dhātrī (āmalakī), and also from kankola and khadira trees.

Word by Word

• eka-eka-aṅgula-hrāsena: by reduction of one finger-length each
• eka-eka-aṅgula-hrāsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (संख्या) + eka (संख्या) + aṅgula (प्रातिपदिक) + hrāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (अङ्गुलस्य ह्रासः; एकैक- = one by one)

• varṇeṣu: in other categories/varieties
• varṇeṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• anyeṣu: other
• anyeṣu: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• kīrtitam: is stated
• kīrtitam: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kīrt (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (said/mentioned)

• āmra-āmrātaka-dhātrīṇām: of mango, hog-plum, and emblic (trees)
• āmra-āmrātaka-dhātrīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āmra (प्रातिपदिक) + āmrātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (समाहार/जातिवाचक), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्व-समास (आम्र + आम्रातक + धात्री)

• kaṅkola: kankola (a spice/tree)
• kaṅkola: Visheshya/Item (Enumerated item/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṅkola (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• khadira-udbhavam: arising from khadira (catechu)
• khadira-udbhavam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khadira (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (खदिरात् उद्भवम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small grove or market near Kāśī: bundles of twigs labeled by tree—mango, āmalakī, khadira—while a teacher indicates differing lengths with a measuring cord.

Characters & Entities

• Āmra (mango)
• Amrātaka
• Dhātrī (Āmalakī)
• Kaṃkola
• Khadira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma adapts practice by eligibility while preserving the goal—purity and readiness for sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction appears in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s ritual-life teachings associated with Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tooth-stick length may be reduced by one aṅgula for other classes; recommended woods include mango, amrātaka, āmalakī, kankola, and khadira.