Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

दुकूलैः स्वानुकूलैश्च चोलैः प्रत्यंगभूषणैः । नालंकृताः सुवासिन्य इहामुत्रसुवासदाः

Transliteration

dukūlaiḥ svānukūlaiśca colaiḥ pratyaṃgabhūṣaṇaiḥ | nālaṃkṛtāḥ suvāsinya ihāmutrasuvāsadāḥ

Translation

Women of good conduct (suvāsinīs) I have not adorned with fine garments, fitting cloths, and ornaments for the limbs—gifts that grant good dwelling and comfort here and hereafter.

Word by Word

• दुकूलैः: with fine garments
• दुकूलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• स्वानुकूलैः: with (their) own suitable (ones)
• स्वानुकूलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-अनुकूल (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + अनुकूल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective agreeing with दुकूलैः/चोलैः)

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

• चोलैः: with garments/robes
• चोलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• प्रत्यङ्गभूषणैः: with ornaments for each limb
• प्रत्यङ्गभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-अङ्ग-भूषण (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति + अङ्ग + भूषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

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

• अलंकृताः: adorned
• अलंकृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलंकृत (कृदन्त; अलं√कृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• सुवासिन्यः: well-dressed women
• सुवासिन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवासिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अमुत्र: there (in the other world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/परलोकवाचक अव्यय (adverb: there/in the other world)

• सुवासदाः: granting good dwelling/comfort
• सुवासदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-वास-द (प्रातिपदिक; सु + वास + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Nominative plural adjective)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa default dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A remorseful householder in Kāśī reflects on neglected charity: respectable women stand modestly, unadorned, while folded fine cloth and ornaments remain unused; in the background, ghāṭs and a distant Viśvanātha spire suggest Kāśī’s sacred setting.

Characters & Entities

• Suvāsinī (virtuous/married woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity expressed as dignifying support—clothing and adornment given appropriately—counts as dharma that returns as well-being and comfort across realms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context is Kāśī, but the verse itself highlights dāna-dharma rather than a particular shrine or ghat.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vastra-dāna and bhūṣaṇa-dāna—offering garments and ornaments (as respectful gifts) to suvāsinīs.