Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

दंडैः कमंडलुयुतैरजिनैर्मृगसंभवैः । कौपीनैरुच्चमंचैश्च परिचारककांचनैः

Transliteration

daṃḍaiḥ kamaṃḍaluyutairajinairmṛgasaṃbhavaiḥ | kaupīnairuccamaṃcaiśca paricārakakāṃcanaiḥ

Translation

En offrant des bâtons, des kamandalu (vases d’eau), des peaux de cerf, des pagnes, des sièges et lits élevés, et aussi de l’or comme salaire aux serviteurs—on soutient la vie religieuse dans les saints établissements de Kāśī.

Word by Word

• दण्डैः: with staffs
• दण्डैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• कमण्डलु-युतैः: with (those) having water-pots
• कमण्डलु-युतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त; √युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘युत’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; ‘endowed with water-pots’

• अजिनैः: with skins (deerskins)
• अजिनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• मृग-सम्भवैः: made from deer
• मृग-सम्भवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; ‘mṛga-sambhava’ = ‘arising from deer’

• कौपीनैः: with loincloths
• कौपीनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौपीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• उच्च-मञ्चैः: with high seats/platforms
• उच्च-मञ्चैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्च (प्रातिपदिक) + मञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; ‘high platforms/seats’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात — conjunction/particle ‘and’

• परिचारक-काञ्चनैः: with gold for attendants
• परिचारक-काञ्चनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचारक (प्रातिपदिक) + काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; ‘gold (given) to attendants/servants’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī temple-courtyard with saffron-clad yatis receiving daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu; folded deer-skin and simple garments laid on a raised wooden āsana; a donor offers gold coins to attendants near a shrine lamp.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• devālaya (temple)
• paricāraka (attendant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting sādhus, students, and temple service through practical gifts is upheld as dharmic service that strengthens worship in sacred Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, with emphasis on service connected to temples and religious institutions there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna of ascetic requisites—staff, kamaṇḍalu, garments, bedding/seating—and provision for attendants’ support.