Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

मंजिष्ठा रक्तवासांसि तथा तूलवतीं पटीम् । जातीफल लवंगैश्च तांबूलानि बहून्यपि

Transliteration

maṃjiṣṭhā raktavāsāṃsi tathā tūlavatīṃ paṭīm | jātīphala lavaṃgaiśca tāṃbūlāni bahūnyapi

Translation

Qu’on offre aussi la mañjiṣṭhā (garance), des vêtements rouges et une étoffe de coton ; et encore de nombreuses offrandes de bétel, avec noix de muscade et clous de girofle.

Word by Word

• मञ्जिष्ठा: madder (dye)
• मञ्जिष्ठा: कर्म (Object; implied ‘दद्यात्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मञ्जिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (सूचीकरणे/elliptic listing)

• रक्तवासांसि: red garments
• रक्तवासांसि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त + वासस् (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (रक्तानि वासांसि)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषणम्
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/also; in like manner)

• तूलवतीम्: having cotton; cotton-lined
• तूलवतीम्: विशेषणम् (of पटीम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तूलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पटीम्: a cloth; wrap
• पटीम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जातीफल: nutmeg
• जातीफल: करणम् (Instrument/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाती + फल (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन/बहुवचन-प्रयोगे अव्यक्त (समासपद; सह-प्रयोगे)

• लवङ्गैः: with cloves
• लवङ्गैः: करणम् (Instrument/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/and)

• ताम्बूलानि: betel leaves (preparations)
• ताम्बूलानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: विशेषणम् (of ताम्बूलानि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue framework)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī Māgha dāna of vastra-gandha-tāmbūla

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Donor presents folded red cloth and cotton fabric, alongside bowls of mañjiṣṭhā and aromatic spices; betel leaves arranged with cloves and nutmeg; recipients bless the donor.

Characters & Entities

• Mañjiṣṭhā
• Tāmbūla
• Jātīphala
• Lavaṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious, culturally meaningful gifts—clothing and fragrant offerings—become vehicles of merit when given in devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) remains the implied sacred setting in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dāna instructions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give red garments, cotton cloth, and many tāmbūla offerings with spices like nutmeg and cloves.