Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

बस्तिः प्रशस्ता विपुला मृद्वीस्तोकसमुन्नता । रोमशा च शिराला च रेखांका नैव शोभना

Transliteration

bastiḥ praśastā vipulā mṛdvīstokasamunnatā | romaśā ca śirālā ca rekhāṃkā naiva śobhanā

Translation

The lower abdomen/waist-region is praised when it is broad, soft, and only slightly raised; but when it is overly hairy, veiny, or marked with conspicuous lines and streaks, it is said to be not beautiful (inauspicious).

Word by Word

• बस्तिः: bladder/loins region
• बस्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• प्रशस्ता: excellent, commendable
• प्रशस्ता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg; adjective)

• विपुला: broad, ample
• विपुला: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg)

• मृद्वी: soft
• मृद्वी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृद्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg)

• स्तोकसमुन्नता: slightly elevated
• स्तोकसमुन्नता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तोक + समुन्नत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg; slightly raised)

• रोमशा: hairy
• रोमशा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिराला: veiny
• शिराला: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg; veiny)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रेखांका: line-marked
• रेखांका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रेखा + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (fem nom sg; marked with lines)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शोभना: beautiful, pleasing
• शोभना: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण/विधेय (fem nom sg; predicate adjective)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm instructional tableau: a sage explains auspicious bodily proportions; disciples listen with attentive, neutral expressions; Kāśī’s riverside steps and lamps suggest a sacred pedagogic atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspiciousness is portrayed as harmony and moderation; extremes and harshness are treated as signs calling for greater care in dharmic living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is Kāśī in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though this particular verse does not name a separate tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a lakṣaṇa (descriptive) statement.