Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

टिट्टिभं कलविंकं च हंसं चक्रं प्लवंबकम् । त्यजेन्मांसाशिनः सर्वान्सारसं कुक्कुटं शुकम्

Transliteration

ṭiṭṭibhaṃ kalaviṃkaṃ ca haṃsaṃ cakraṃ plavaṃbakam | tyajenmāṃsāśinaḥ sarvānsārasaṃ kukkuṭaṃ śukam

Translation

Qu’on évite le ṭiṭṭibha, le kalaviṃka, le haṃsa, le cakra et le plavaṃbaka ; en vérité, qu’on se détourne de tous les oiseaux mangeurs de chair, ainsi que du sārasa (grue), du coq et du perroquet.

Word by Word

• टिट्टिभम्: lapwing (ṭiṭṭibha)
• टिट्टिभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: टिट्टिभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कलविङ्कम्: kalaviṅka (a bird)
• कलविङ्कम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलविङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (समुच्चय-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• हंसम्: goose/swan
• हंसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• चक्रम्: cakra-bird (a waterfowl)
• चक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (पक्षिनाम ‘चक्र’ इति)

• प्लवम्बकम्: plavambaka (a bird)
• प्लवम्बकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मांसाशिनः: meat-eaters
• मांसाशिनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + आशिन् (कृदन्त; अश् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (मांसम् अश्नन्ति ये) विशेषणम्

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (मांसाशिनः)

• सारसम्: crane (sārasa)
• सारसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कुक्कुटम्: cock/rooster
• कुक्कुटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्कुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• शुकम्: parrot
• शुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim/adhikārin

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī pilgrim releases or protects birds near the river, refusing meat offered by hunters; predatory birds are shown in the distance, while the pilgrim chooses compassion and purity before temple visit.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dietary purity is linked with non-violence and avoidance of creatures associated with impure feeding habits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred frame; the verse supports its dharmic lifestyle rather than naming a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition list: avoid consuming certain birds, especially those characterized as flesh-eaters.