Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वपुरावर्तगंधाश्चच्छाया सत्वं स्वरो गतिः । वर्णश्चेत्यष्टधा प्रोक्ता बुधैर्लक्षणभूमिका

Transliteration

vapurāvartagaṃdhāścacchāyā satvaṃ svaro gatiḥ | varṇaścetyaṣṭadhā proktā budhairlakṣaṇabhūmikā

Translation

ദേഹരൂപം, ആവർത്തം (കേശചക്രം), സുഗന്ധം, ഛായ/കാന്തി, സത്ത്വം (സ്വഭാവബലം), സ്വരം, ഗതി (നടപ്പ്), വർണം—ഇവ എട്ടും ലക്ഷണനിർണ്ണയത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനമെന്ന് പണ്ഡിതർ പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• वपुः: body, physique
• वपुः: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आवर्तगन्धाः: hair-whorls and smell
• आवर्तगन्धाः: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवर्त + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (आवर्तः च गन्धः च)

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

• छाया: complexion/appearance, shadow
• छाया: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सत्त्वम्: temperament, vitality
• सत्त्वम्: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वरः: voice
• स्वरः: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गतिः: gait, movement
• गतिः: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वर्णः: color, complexion
• वर्णः: Karta (Item in list/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasana (Enumeration marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थक-निदर्शक (thus, end of enumeration)

• अष्टधा: eightfold
• अष्टधा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अष्टधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक-प्रकारवाचक (in eight ways)

• प्रोक्ता: has been declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘has been stated’ (agreeing with भूमिकā)

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्तृकरणे (by the wise)

• लक्षणभूमिका: the basis/ground of characteristics
• लक्षणभूमिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण + भूमिका (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लक्षणानां भूमिका)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Ghaṭodbhava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic teaching tableau: Skanda indicates eight points on a palm-leaf diagram; symbolic vignettes show voice (vīṇā), gait (footprints), fragrance (flowers), lustre (halo-like glow), temperament (calm animal), and form/color (balanced proportions).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-guided living values careful observation and wisdom, using defined criteria to support harmony in gṛhastha life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is embedded in Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī) teachings; it is not a direct tirtha-mahātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is described; it enumerates the eight assessment domains used when judging lakṣaṇas.