Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

सुवासांसि सुवासाश्च सुशय्या सुनितंबिनी । स्रक्तांबूलान्नपानाश्च अष्टौ भोगाः स्वधर्मिणाम्

Transliteration

suvāsāṃsi suvāsāśca suśayyā sunitaṃbinī | sraktāṃbūlānnapānāśca aṣṭau bhogāḥ svadharmiṇām

Translation

നല്ല വസ്ത്രങ്ങൾ, സുഗന്ധങ്ങൾ, ഉത്തമ ശയ്യ, സുനിതംബിനിയായ പ്രിയ, പുഷ്പമാല, താംബൂലം, അന്നം, പാനം—സ്വധർമ്മസ്ഥർക്കുള്ള ഈ എട്ട് ഭോഗങ്ങൾ।

Word by Word

• सुवासांसि: fine garments
• सुवासांसि: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सु + वासांसि/वस्त्राणि)

• सुवासाः: pleasant fragrances
• सुवासाः: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सु + वासाः = good perfumes/fragrances)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सुशय्या: a good bed
• सुशय्या: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• सुनितम्बिनी: a shapely woman
• सुनितम्बिनी: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-नितम्बिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मधारय; स्त्रीवाचक (woman with beautiful hips)

• स्रक्: garland
• स्रक्: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज्/स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• ताम्बूल: betel
• ताम्बूल: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• अन्न: food
• अन्न: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• पानाः: drinks
• पानाः: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (समासोत्तरपद)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• भोगाः: enjoyments
• भोगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• स्वधर्मिणाम्: of those who follow their own dharma
• स्वधर्मिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-धर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (स्वः धर्मः येषाम्/स्वधर्मे स्थिताः)

Speaker

Śuciṣmatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau of the eight enjoyments: folded fine garments, perfume vial, neatly made bed, garland, betel leaves, a plate of food, a cup of drink—arranged as a didactic still-life, with Śuciṣmatī indicating them while speaking.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pleasures are not condemned when aligned with svadharma; dharma provides the ethical frame for enjoyment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, within the broader glorification of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it enumerates dharmically permitted comforts (aṣṭa-bhoga) for householders.