Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

अंतर्निमग्नवंशास्थिः पृष्ठिः स्यान्मांसला शुभा । पृष्ठेन रोमयुक्तेन वैधव्यं लभते ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

aṃtarnimagnavaṃśāsthiḥ pṛṣṭhiḥ syānmāṃsalā śubhā | pṛṣṭhena romayuktena vaidhavyaṃ labhate dhruvam

Translation

背において脊の骨が突き出ず、内に収まるようで肉付きがよいものは吉相とされる。だが背に毛を生ずるものは、必ずや寡婦の運命を招くと説かれる。

Word by Word

• अन्तः: inside, inwardly
• अन्तः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थ (adverb: inside)

• निमग्न-वंश-अस्थिः: with the spine-bone sunk inward
• निमग्न-वंश-अस्थिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमग्न (कृदन्त; नि+√मज्ज् ‘to sink’ → निमग्न) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘निमग्नं वंशास्थि यस्याः’ (having the spinal bone sunk inward)

• पृष्ठिः: back (the back part)
• पृष्ठिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be/is (as a rule)
• स्यात्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मांसला: fleshy
• मांसला: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• शुभा: auspicious, good
• शुभा: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• पृष्ठेन: by/with the back
• पृष्ठेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• रोम-युक्तेन: hairy, having hair
• रोम-युक्तेन: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोम (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् ‘to join’ → युक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रोमैः युक्त’ (endowed with hair)

• वैधव्यम्: widowhood
• वैधव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ध्रुवम्: certainly, surely
• ध्रुवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय (indeclinable accusative used adverbially); नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन as adverb

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśīkṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Contrasting backs: one well-fleshed with spine not protruding (śubha), another with visible hair (aśubha) shown as symbolic illustration; the setting remains a calm teaching scene near Kāśī’s riverfront.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents traditional omens tied to destiny, encouraging a dharmic life rather than superstition-driven fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred context; this verse itself is not a tīrtha-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive of auspicious and inauspicious bodily characteristics.