Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

अकृत्वा भैक्ष्यचरणमसमिध्य हुताशनम् । अनातुरः सप्तरात्रमवकीर्णि व्रतं चरेत्

Transliteration

akṛtvā bhaikṣyacaraṇamasamidhya hutāśanam | anāturaḥ saptarātramavakīrṇi vrataṃ caret

Translation

S’il n’est pas malade et qu’il omet la quête d’aumône et n’allume pas comme il se doit le feu sacré, alors qu’il observe l’avakīrṇi-vrata durant sept nuits.

Word by Word

• अकृत्वा: without having done
• अकृत्वा: Purva-kala-kriya (Prior action, negated)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय, नञ्-पूर्वक (negative gerund): ‘न कृत्वा’ (without doing)

• भैक्ष्यचरणम्: the practice of begging alms
• भैक्ष्यचरणम्: Karma (Object of akṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (the act of alms-begging)

• असमिध्य: without kindling
• असमिध्य: Purva-kala-kriya (Prior action, negated)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + इध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय, नञ्-पूर्वक: ‘न समिध्य’ (without kindling)

• हुताशनम्: the sacred fire (Agni)
• हुताशनम्: Karma (Object of asamidhya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुताशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘हुतं अश्नाति’ इति (Agni, fire)

• अनातुरः: being not sick
• अनातुरः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनातुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (not ill)

• सप्तरात्रम्: for seven nights
• सप्तरात्रम्: Kala-adhikarana (Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (for seven nights)

• अवकीर्णि: the ‘avakīrṇa’ (expiatory)
• अवकीर्णि: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवकीर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (as adjective to vrataṃ; ‘avakīrṇa’ type expiation)

• व्रतम्: vow/penance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चरेत्: should observe/practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should observe)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brahmacārin sits near an unlit or neglected fire-altar, then resolves to penance: a seven-night austerity shown through a sequence—night sky, simple diet, vigil, and rekindled sacred fire.

Characters & Entities

• Hutāśana (Sacred Fire)
• Avakīrṇi-vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of daily sacred duties requires conscious atonement, restoring steadiness and reverence in spiritual life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa tradition of Kāśī, where dharma and purification practices are especially emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observation of the avakīrṇi-vrata for seven nights as expiation for neglecting bhikṣā and proper tending of the sacred fire.