Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89
Devanagari script
शस्ता ग्रीवा त्रिरेखांका त्वव्यक्तास्थिः सुसंहता । निर्मांसा चिपिटा दीर्घास्थपुटा न शुभप्रदा
Transliteration
śastā grīvā trirekhāṃkā tvavyaktāsthiḥ susaṃhatā | nirmāṃsā cipiṭā dīrghāsthapuṭā na śubhapradā
Translation
三本の線を帯び、骨が目立たず、よく締まって整った首は称賛される。だが肉が乏しく扁平で、骨格が長い首は吉を授けない。
Word by Word
śastāpraiseworthy; proper
śastā:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootśasta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
grīvāneck
grīvā:
Adhikaraṇa/Viṣaya (topic described)
TypeNoun
Rootgrīvā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
trirekhāṃkāhaving three line-marks
trirekhāṃkā:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Roottri (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + rekhā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (trīṇāṃ rekhāṇām aṃkā = ‘marked with three lines’)
tubut; however
tu:
Sambandha (discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)
avyaktāsthiḥwith indistinct bones
avyaktāsthiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Roota-vyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + asthi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः बहुव्रीहि (avyaktāni asthīni yasyāḥ sā = ‘whose bones are not manifest’)
susaṃhatāwell-knit; compact
susaṃhatā:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootsu (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + saṃhata (प्रातिपदिक; √han धातु-निष्पन्न)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
nirmāṃsāwithout flesh; fleshless
nirmāṃsā:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootnir (उपसर्ग) + māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
cipiṭāflat; depressed
cipiṭā:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootcipiṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
dīrghāsthapuṭāwith long bony structure
dīrghāsthapuṭā:
Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootdīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + asthi (प्रातिपदिक) + puṭa (प्रातिपदik)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (dīrgham asthi-puṭam = ‘having long bony protuberance/structure’)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)
śubhapradāauspicious-giving
śubhapradā:
Viśeṣaṇa (predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootśubha (प्रातिपदिक) + pradā (प्रातिपदिक; √dā धातु-निष्पन्न)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (śubhaṃ pradāti = ‘giving auspiciousness’)
Speaker
Skanda
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Close, symbolic depiction of the ‘three lines’ on the neck as a mark of auspiciousness, shown in a respectful, non-sensational didactic illustration with the teacher pointing to a diagram on a palm-leaf.
Characters & Entities
S
SkandaK
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)FAQs
Auspicious marks are linked with wholeness and steadiness, echoing the purāṇic preference for harmony and health.
The teaching occurs within Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative frame; no specific tīrtha is named in this verse.
None.