Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

न सौंदर्येण वपुषा न बुद्ध्या न पराक्रमैः । एकयैव मनः शुद्ध्या करणानां जयेन च

Transliteration

na sauṃdaryeṇa vapuṣā na buddhyā na parākramaiḥ | ekayaiva manaḥ śuddhyā karaṇānāṃ jayena ca

Translation

Not by bodily beauty, not by intellect, not by acts of prowess—only by purity of mind alone, and by conquering the senses, is he attained.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• सौंदर्येण: by beauty
• सौंदर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौन्दर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• वपुषा: by the body/physique
• वपुषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• बुद्ध्या: by intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• पराक्रमैः: by acts of valor
• पराक्रमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• एकया: by one (single)
• एकया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शुद्ध्या इति)

• एव: only
• एव: Sambandha (Restriction/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (restrictive particle): ‘only/just’

• मनः: of the mind
• मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे

• शुद्ध्या: by purity
• शुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• करणानाम्: of the senses/instruments
• करणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• जयेन: by conquest
• जयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Pitā (Father)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kanyā (maiden)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast scene: mirror reflecting physical beauty, scrolls for intellect, weapons for prowess—set aside; the seeker sits in meditation, senses symbolically subdued (tortoise motif, closed lotus), mind shown as a clear lake.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner purity and self-mastery are the decisive qualifications for the highest blessings, surpassing beauty, intelligence, and worldly heroism.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse teaches inner sādhana within the Kāśī Khanda’s dharmic frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Indriya-jaya (sense-control) and manaḥ-śuddhi (purity of mind) are prescribed as core disciplines.