Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

हरिद्रां कुंकुमं चैव सिंदूर कज्जलं तथा । कूर्पासकं च तांबूलं मांगल्याभरणं शुभम्

Transliteration

haridrāṃ kuṃkumaṃ caiva siṃdūra kajjalaṃ tathā | kūrpāsakaṃ ca tāṃbūlaṃ māṃgalyābharaṇaṃ śubham

Translation

മഞ്ഞൾ, കുങ്കുമം, സിന്ദൂരം, കാജലം; കൂടാതെ കേശാലങ്കാരം (കൂർപാസക), താംബൂലം, ശുഭ മാംഗല്യാഭരണങ്ങൾ—ഇവയെല്ലാം പതിവ്രതയ്ക്ക് പവിത്രവും മംഗളകരവും എന്നു കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• हरिद्राम्: turmeric
• हरिद्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• कुङ्कुमम्: saffron/vermillion powder
• कुङ्कुमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सिन्दूरम्: vermilion
• सिन्दूरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कज्जलम्: collyrium/soot (kohl)
• कज्जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कज्जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• कूर्पासकम्: cotton (for cosmetic use)
• कूर्पासकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्पासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ताम्बूलम्: betel (leaf/quid)
• ताम्बूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माङ्गल्याभरणम्: auspicious ornament
• माङ्गल्याभरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माङ्गल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (माङ्गल्यस्य आभरणम्)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (माङ्गल्याभरणम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī household scene: a devoted wife arranging turmeric, vermilion, collyrium, betel, and auspicious ornaments before a small shrine, with Gaṅgā-ghāṭa silhouettes and temple spires in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Pativratā-dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames auspicious personal adornments as part of dharmic, sanctifying household discipline aligned with fidelity and sacred living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, where dharma is taught as integral to the city’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No tīrtha-ritual is specified; it recommends auspicious household items and adornments associated with pativratā conduct.