Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

यशोधनो वदान्यश्च सुधीर्ब्राह्मणदैवतः । सदैवावभृथस्नानपरिक्लिन्न शिरोरुहः

Transliteration

yaśodhano vadānyaśca sudhīrbrāhmaṇadaivataḥ | sadaivāvabhṛthasnānapariklinna śiroruhaḥ

Translation

Ia kaya akan kemasyhuran, dermawan, dan bijaksana; baginya para Brāhmaṇa laksana para dewa. Rambutnya senantiasa lembap, seakan selalu baru selesai avabhṛtha-snāna (mandi upacara).

Word by Word

• यशोधनः: whose wealth is fame
• यशोधनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—यशः धनं यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहि)

• वदान्यः: generous
• वदान्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वदान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• सुधीः: wise, intelligent
• सुधीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ब्राह्मणदैवतः: one for whom Brahmins are (like) deity / devoted to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणदैवतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण-दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—ब्राह्मणानां दैवतं यस्य/यः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; अर्थतः बहुव्रीहिसदृश-विशेषण)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• अवभृथस्नानपरिक्लिन्न: soaked from the avabhṛtha bath
• अवभृथस्नानपरिक्लिन्न: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवभृथ-स्नान-परिक्लिन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—अवभृथस्नानेन परिक्लिन्नः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• शिरोरुहः: hair (that grows on the head)
• शिरोरुहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरोरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—शिरसि रुहः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Amitrajit performs repeated ceremonial bathing—hair wet, water dripping—while offering gifts to brāhmaṇas seated in a ritual enclosure; the scene conveys purity, generosity, and disciplined piety.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Amitrajit (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True kingship is portrayed as dharma-filled: generosity, reverence for Brahmins, and sustained ritual purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The line continues the prelude to the Vīreśvara manifestation account in Kāśī (the tīrtha is contextual to the chapter).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avabhṛtha-snāna (the concluding ceremonial bath connected with yajña) is referenced as a marker of continual ritual practice.