Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यदाप्रभृत्यगां काश्या मंदरं सर्वसुंदरम् । महानियमवानेष तदारभ्योज्झिताशनः

Transliteration

yadāprabhṛtyagāṃ kāśyā maṃdaraṃ sarvasuṃdaram | mahāniyamavāneṣa tadārabhyojjhitāśanaḥ

Translation

From the time he came to Kāśī—Mandara, most beautiful, the loveliest of all—this man has observed great restraints, and from that very time he has renounced food.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• प्रभृति: since/from then
• प्रभृति: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘आदि/आरभ्य’ अर्थे (since/from)

• अगाम्: went
• अगाम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• काश्याः: from Kāśī
• काश्याः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मन्दरम्: Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरम्: Karma (Destination as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गमनस्य कर्म

• सर्वसुन्दरम्: most beautiful of all
• सर्वसुन्दरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मन्दरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; कर्मधारयः ‘सर्वेषु सुन्दरम्’

• महानियमवान्: of great restraint
• महानियमवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानियमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• एषः: this (person)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: Kala-adhikarana (Starting point/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive) ‘आरभ्य’ = आरम्भं कृत्वा/आरम्भात्

• उज्झिताशनः: one who has given up eating
• उज्झिताशनः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + हा (धातु) + क्त → उज्झित + अशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘उज्झितम् अशनं यस्य’ (having abandoned food); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त-पूर्वपद

Speaker

Śiva (continuing instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (as Mandara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nandī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic Kāśī vista—temple spires, ghāṭ steps, and luminous sky—captioned ‘Mandara’. In the foreground, Jaigīṣavya arrives with a staff and waterpot, then gradually becomes emaciated through prolonged fasting, seated near a shrine in unwavering meditation.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Mandara
• Jaigīṣavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a supreme spiritual arena where intense niyama and renunciation mature toward divine encounter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is praised as ‘Mandara, most beautiful,’ indicating a sanctified locale within Kāśī’s sacred topography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a prescription, but a description of a severe vrata: long-term fasting (giving up food) alongside strict niyamas.