Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कुशाग्रनीरविप्रूषस्तृषिता यतयोऽपिबन् । वाताशिनोतिक्षुधिताः पादाग्रांगुष्ठ भूस्पृशः

Transliteration

kuśāgranīraviprūṣastṛṣitā yatayo'piban | vātāśinotikṣudhitāḥ pādāgrāṃguṣṭha bhūspṛśaḥ

Translation

Les ascètes, assoiffés, ne boivent pas même les gouttes d’eau au bout de l’herbe kuśa ; bien que tenaillés par la faim, ils ne vivent que d’air ; et ils se tiennent debout, ne touchant la terre que du bout des orteils.

Word by Word

• कुश-अग्र-नीर-विप्रूषः: (living on) drops of water on kuśa tips
• कुश-अग्र-नीर-विप्रूषः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + नीर (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्रूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कुशाग्रे नीरस्य विप्रूषः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग ‘विप्रूष्’, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (पाठानुसार) — Nominative plural; ‘drops of water on the tip of kuśa’ (as meagre drink)

• तृषिताः: thirsty
• तृषिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृषित (कृदन्त, तृष् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; qualifying ‘यतयः’

• यतयः: ascetics
• यतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• अपिबन्: did not drink / drank not
• अपिबन्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — 3rd person plural; नकार-लोपे ‘अपिबन्’

• वात-आशिनः: living on air
• वात-आशिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक) + आशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वातम् आश्नन्ति/वातेन आशिनः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; ‘air-eaters’

• उति-क्षुधिताः: extremely hungry
• उति-क्षुधिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-प्राय) + क्षुधित (कृदन्त, क्षुध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; ‘अति/उति’ here as intensifier (very)

• पाद-अग्र-अङ्गुष्ठ: (with) the big toe at the tip of the foot
• पाद-अग्र-अङ्गुष्ठ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पादस्य अग्रे अङ्गुष्ठः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासपद as qualifier) — used adjectivally with ‘भूस्पृशः’

• भू-स्पृशः: touching the ground (only)
• भू-स्पृशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृश (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूमिं स्पृशन्ति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; those who touch the ground (only)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tapoloka (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic in a dry, luminous grove: kuśa grass with dew-like droplets untouched; the ascetic stands on toe-tips, ribs visible yet face tranquil; subtle wind motif indicating ‘living on air’.

Characters & Entities

• Kuśa grass
• Tapoloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mastery over bodily impulses—thirst, hunger, and comfort—illustrates the heights of renunciation praised in Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśī’s broader spiritual narrative, but it specifically depicts ascetics of Tapoloka rather than a named Kāśī tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Extreme fasting and bodily disciplines: refusing even tiny water-drops, living on air, and standing with minimal ground contact.