Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दंडयित्वा मनोवाचं कायं नित्यं त्रिदंडिनः । नैःश्रेयसीं श्रियं प्राप्तुं श्रयंते मणिकर्णिकाम्

Transliteration

daṃḍayitvā manovācaṃ kāyaṃ nityaṃ tridaṃḍinaḥ | naiḥśreyasīṃ śriyaṃ prāptuṃ śrayaṃte maṇikarṇikām

Translation

常に心・言葉・身を制する三杖の出家者は、無上の解脱の福徳を得るため、マニカルニカー（Maṇikarṇikā）に帰依する。

Word by Word

• दण्डयित्वा: having disciplined
• दण्डयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'having disciplined/punished'

• मनः-वाचम्: mind and speech
• मनः-वाचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास: मनश्च वाक् च; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व, नपुंसकवत्)

• कायम्: body
• कायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण); 'always/constantly'

• त्रि-दण्डिनः: the triple-staff ascetics
• त्रि-दण्डिनः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + दण्डिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: त्रयः दण्डाः यस्य (त्रिदण्डिन्); प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; 'tridaṇḍins'

• नैःश्रेयसीम्: leading to the highest good
• नैःश्रेयसीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःश्रेयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'श्रियम्'

• श्रियम्: prosperity; auspicious fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्तुम्: to obtain
• प्राप्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive); 'to obtain'

• श्रयन्ते: they resort to
• श्रयन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रि (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'they take refuge/resort'

• मणिकर्णिकाम्: Maṇikarṇikā
• मणिकर्णिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tridaṇḍin sannyāsin holds the triple staff, standing firm on the ghāṭa steps; three subtle streams of light symbolize mind-speech-body discipline converging toward a radiant mokṣa-lotus above Maṇikarṇikā.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā
• Kāśī (Varanasi)
• Tridaṇḍin
• Niḥśreyasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True renunciation disciplines thought, word, and deed, and seeks its highest fulfillment in the liberating refuge of Maṇikarṇikā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, approached by advanced renunciants for niḥśreyasa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tri-fold self-restraint (mind, speech, body) characteristic of tridaṇḍin renunciants, coupled with resorting to the tīrtha.