Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

गुह्ये दद्यान्मृदं चैकां पायौ पंचांबुसां तराः । दश वामकरे चापि सप्त पाणिद्वये मृदः

Transliteration

guhye dadyānmṛdaṃ caikāṃ pāyau paṃcāṃbusāṃ tarāḥ | daśa vāmakare cāpi sapta pāṇidvaye mṛdaḥ

Translation

Qu’on applique une portion de terre aux parties secrètes, et cinq (avec de l’eau) à l’anus ; puis dix portions à la main gauche, et sept portions aux deux mains.

Word by Word

• गुह्ये: on the genital region
• गुह्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should apply/give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मृदम्: clay/earth
• मृदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• एकाम्: one (lump/portion)
• एकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• पायौ: at the anus
• पायौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-संख्याशब्द (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally); ‘five’

• अम्बुसाम्: of waters (water-rinses)
• अम्बुसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• तराः: times/rounds (of washing)
• तराः: Karta (Count/subject of ellipsis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; (पाठदोष/दुर्लभ-रूप) सम्भाव्यं ‘वाराः’/‘प्रक्षालन-वाराः’ अर्थे

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-संख्याशब्द; ‘ten’

• वामकरे: on the left hand
• वामकरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘left hand’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (also/even)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-संख्याशब्द; ‘seven’

• पाणिद्वये: on both hands
• पाणिद्वये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘pair of hands’)

• मृदः: (applications of) clay
• मृदः: Karta (Count/subject of ellipsis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic instructional tableau: a devotee with a small clay lump and water pot, counting applications on fingers; the scene is modest and non-explicit, focusing on ritual counting and cleanliness.

Characters & Entities

• Water (Ambu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values precision in purification—order and measured practice cultivate inner discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this is a technical śauca instruction within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dharma teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Specified counts for cleansing with earth and water: one for the private part, five for the anus (with water), ten for the left hand, and seven for both hands.