Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 285

Devanagari script

शरीरसौष्ठवं कांक्ष्यं व्रतस्नानादिसिद्धये । आयुर्बह्वत्र वै चिंत्यं महाफलसमृद्धये

Transliteration

śarīrasauṣṭhavaṃ kāṃkṣyaṃ vratasnānādisiddhaye | āyurbahvatra vai ciṃtyaṃ mahāphalasamṛddhaye

Translation

ವ್ರತ, ಸ್ನಾನಾದಿಗಳ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಗಾಗಿ ದೇಹಸೌಷ್ಠವವನ್ನು ಬಯಸಬೇಕು; ಮಹಾಫಲಸಮೃದ್ಧಿಗಾಗಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ದೀರ್ಘಾಯುಷ್ಯವನ್ನೂ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• शरीरसौष्ठवम्: bodily well-being/fitness
• शरीरसौष्ठवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक) + सौष्ठव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शरीरस्य सौष्ठवम् = bodily well-being)

• काङ्क्ष्यम्: to be desired/sought
• काङ्क्ष्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √काङ्क्ष् (धातु; अभिलाषे)
• Form: भविष्यत्-कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्य/यत्-प्रायः; here: desiderative sense ‘to be desired’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with शरीरसौष्ठवम्)

• व्रतस्नानादिसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of vows, baths, etc.
• व्रतस्नानादिसिद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (व्रत-स्नान-आदि-कार्याणां सिद्धिः = accomplishment of vows, baths, etc.)

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• बहु: much/long
• बहु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with आयुः)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• चिन्त्यम्: to be contemplated/considered
• चिन्त्यम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु; चिन्तने)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be considered/pondered)

• महाफलसमृद्धये: for abundant great results
• महाफलसमृद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + समृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (महान् फलः यस्याः सा समृद्धिः = abundance of great fruit/result)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Skanda’s discourse (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (vrata-snāna-siddhi context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at a ghāṭ perform snāna and vrata observances; an elder devotee prays for long life and strength, while offerings and lamps indicate sustained practice over time.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic practice is sustained by health and time; bodily well-being and longevity are framed as supports for completing vows and gaining higher merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single named tīrtha; the teaching functions within the broader Kāśīkhaṇḍa context of merit-producing observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

General prescription: undertake vrata and snāna with the aim of successful completion, supported by health and prayers/intent for longevity.