Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

राज्ञीत्वसूचकं स्त्रीणां पादपृष्ठं समुन्नतम् । अस्वेदमशिराढ्यं च मसृणं मृदुमांसलम्

Transliteration

rājñītvasūcakaṃ strīṇāṃ pādapṛṣṭhaṃ samunnatam | asvedamaśirāḍhyaṃ ca masṛṇaṃ mṛdumāṃsalam

Translation

女人において足の甲が高く盛り上がるのは、后妃のごとき福運を示すという。また汗が少なく、血管が目立たず、滑らかで柔らかく肉づきのよい足は、繁栄の相として称えられる。

Word by Word

• राज्ञीत्वसूचकम्: indicating queenship
• राज्ञीत्वसूचकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्ञीत्व + सूचक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञीत्वस्य सूचकं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Genitive tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• पादपृष्ठम्: the instep/top of the foot
• पादपृष्ठम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पादस्य पृष्ठम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Genitive tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• समुन्नतम्: raised
• समुन्नतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उन्नत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √नम्/उन्नत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Past participial adjective; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• अस्वेदम्: not sweating, dry
• अस्वेदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Negative adjective; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• अशिराढ्यम्: not rich in veins, veinless
• अशिराढ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शिरा + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (शिराभिः न आढ्यं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Negative tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• मसृणम्: smooth
• मसृणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मसृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Adjective; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• मृदुमांसलम्: soft and fleshy
• मृदुमांसलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु + मांसल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: कर्मधारय (मृदु च तत् मांसलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (Karmadhāraya; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A refined depiction of a noble woman’s feet: elevated instep, smooth skin, soft fleshy form, minimal visible veins—presented as rājñītva-sūcaka (queenly sign).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse frames outer qualities as traditional symbols for inner harmony and destined well-being, encouraging a dharmic reading of ‘śubha-lakṣaṇa’ (auspicious signs).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The authority is Kāśī-khaṇḍa (Vārāṇasī’s sacred teaching corpus), though this particular verse does not name a distinct tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a lakṣaṇa (sign) description, not a ritual injunction.