Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मतेजोभिवृद्ध्यर्थं विप्रोब्देपंचमेर्हति । षष्ठे बलार्थी नृपतिर्मौजीं वैश्योष्टमे ध्रियेत्

Transliteration

brahmatejobhivṛddhyarthaṃ viprobdepaṃcamerhati | ṣaṣṭhe balārthī nṛpatirmaujīṃ vaiśyoṣṭame dhriyet

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണതേജസ്സിന്റെ വർദ്ധനയ്ക്കായി ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ അഞ്ചാം വർഷത്തിൽ മൗഞ്ജി (യജ്ഞോപവീതം) സ്വീകരിക്കാൻ യോഗ്യൻ. ബലാർത്ഥിയായ ക്ഷത്രിയ രാജാവ് ആറാം വർഷത്തിൽ, വൈശ്യൻ എട്ടാം വർഷത്തിൽ മൗഞ്ജി ധരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मतेजः-अभिवृद्धि-अर्थम्: for the increase of Brahmanic splendor
• ब्रह्मतेजः-अभिवृद्धि-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ब्रह्मतेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिवृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); अर्थम्-शब्दः अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयुक्तः (purpose/for the sake of); अव्ययप्रयोगः

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अब्दे: in the year
• अब्दे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणे (locative of time)

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth (year)
• पञ्चमे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• अर्हति: is entitled / deserves
• अर्हति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• षष्ठे: in the sixth (year)
• षष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणे

• बलार्थी: one seeking strength
• बलार्थी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (बलस्य अर्थी); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मौजीम्: the girdle (muñja-cord)
• मौजीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौजी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वैश्यः: a Vaiśya
• वैश्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अष्टमे: in the eighth (year)
• अष्टमे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणे

• ध्रियेत्: should wear / should hold
• ध्रियेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru in a simple āśrama setting measures and ties the muñja-girdle on a young initiate; three boys of different varṇas are shown with distinct emblems—brāhmaṇa with palm-leaf, kṣatriya with bow, vaiśya with scales/grain—while Kāśī’s ghāṭas shimmer in the distance as a symbolic backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Upanayana
• Muñja (mekhalā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right timing and right discipline strengthen one’s inner radiance—brahmacarya begins with proper saṃskāra performed according to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is a dharma-instruction within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework; the broader setting is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as the field where dharma and purity are upheld.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Eligibility ages for receiving/wearing the mekhalā (muñja-girdle), part of upanayana and brahmacārin observance.