Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

निष्पावांश्च मसूरांश्च कोद्रवान्वर्जयेद्व्रती । सदा शुचिभिरास्थेयं स्प्रष्टव्यो नाव्रती जनः

Transliteration

niṣpāvāṃśca masūrāṃśca kodravānvarjayedvratī | sadā śucibhirāstheyaṃ spraṣṭavyo nāvratī janaḥ

Translation

誓戒を守る者は、ニシュパーヴァ豆・マスール（レンズ豆）・コドラヴァ穀を避けよ。常に清浄なる人々と共に住し、誓戒なき者には触れてはならない。

Word by Word

• niṣpāvān: niṣpāva beans
• niṣpāvān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣpāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• masūrān: lentils (masūra)
• masūrān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: masūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kodravān: kodrava grains (a millet)
• kodravān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kodrava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• varjayet: should avoid
• varjayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• vratī: one observing a vow
• vratī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: always)

• śucibhiḥ: with the pure (persons)
• śucibhiḥ: Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• āstheyam: should be associated with / kept company with
• āstheyam: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āstheya (प्रातिपदिक; √sthā with उपसर्ग ā + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative: ‘to be associated/kept company with’)

• spraṣṭavyaḥ: should be touched
• spraṣṭavyaḥ: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: spraṣṭavya (प्रातिपदिक; spṛś (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative: ‘to be touched’)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• a-vratī: a non-votary; one without a vow
• a-vratī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-vratin (प्रातिपदिक; negated)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• janaḥ: a person
• janaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cāturmāsya-vrata in Kāśī (āhāra-niyama)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vow-observer selects simple foods, refusing certain grains/legumes offered in a market; he sits among clean, disciplined companions, keeping respectful distance from non-observers in a crowded ghat lane.

Characters & Entities

• Cāturmāsya
• Vrata
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows are protected by purity—through disciplined diet and careful association that supports a sattvic mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dharma teaching, framed within the sacred prestige of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid specific foods (niṣpāva, masūra, kodrava) and maintain purity by keeping company with the śuci and avoiding contact with non-vratins.