Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

विचार्यमाणे देहेस्मिन्नकिंचिदधिकं क्वचित् । आहारो मैथुनं निद्रा भयं सर्वत्र यत्समम्

Transliteration

vicāryamāṇe dehesminnakiṃcidadhikaṃ kvacit | āhāro maithunaṃ nidrā bhayaṃ sarvatra yatsamam

Translation

Lorsqu’on examine ce corps, on ne trouve nulle part rien de supérieur : nourriture, union charnelle, sommeil et crainte sont semblables chez tous les êtres.

Word by Word

• विचार्यमाणे: when (it is) being examined
• विचार्यमाणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु) → विचार्य (कृदन्त) + माण (शानच्)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-भावे शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (being considered/when being examined)

• देहे: in the body
• देहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक-सर्वनाम (anything)

• अधिकम्: extra/superior
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘किञ्चित्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• क्वचित्: anywhere
• क्वचित्: Desha/Kaala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/काल-अनिश्चित (somewhere/at any place)

• आहारः: food/intake
• आहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मैथुनम्: sexual union
• मैथुनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निद्रा: sleep
• निद्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Desha (Location adverb/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-सूचक (everywhere)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम; ‘समम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• समम्: equal/same
• समम्: Predicate (Vidheyātmaka/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

Speaker

Puṇyakīrti (deduced continuation of speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: seekers/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher points to a simple diagram of the body while diverse beings—brahmin, king, outcaste, animal—sit together, all shown with the same basic needs; background: Gaṅgā and Kāśī ghāṭs.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bodily life is governed by shared instincts; spiritual dignity lies in transcending mere bodily drives through dharma and inner realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī narrative, a setting often used to promote liberation-oriented discernment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a reflective teaching encouraging discrimination (vicāra) and detachment.