Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कुसुंभवासा दंडाढ्यो भिक्षाशी ख्यातिवर्जितः । अलाबुदारुमृद्वेणु पात्रं शस्तं न पंचमम्

Transliteration

kusuṃbhavāsā daṃḍāḍhyo bhikṣāśī khyātivarjitaḥ | alābudārumṛdveṇu pātraṃ śastaṃ na paṃcamam

Translation

അവൻ കുസുംബവർണ്ണ വസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചു, ദണ്ഡം വഹിച്ച്, ഭിക്ഷയാൽ ജീവിച്ച്, ഖ്യാതി ഒഴിവാക്കണം. അവനു ചുരക്ക, മരം, മണ്ണ് അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മുളയുടെ പാത്രം ശ്രേഷ്ഠം; അഞ്ചാമത്തെ തരമോ അംഗീകര്യമല്ല।

Word by Word

• कुसुम्भवासा: wearing kusumbha-colored cloth
• कुसुम्भवासा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुसुम्भ + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘having garment of kusumbha-dyed cloth’) (masc nom sg)

• दण्डाढ्यः: equipped with a staff
• दण्डाढ्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘provided with a staff’) (masc nom sg)

• भिक्षाशी: living on alms
• भिक्षाशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिक्षा + अशिन् (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘one who eats alms’) (masc nom sg)

• ख्यातिवर्जितः: free from desire for fame
• ख्यातिवर्जितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्याति + वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम्; तृतीया/पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (‘devoid of fame’) (masc nom sg)

• अलाबु: gourd (vessel)
• अलाबु: Visheshya (Head-term/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाबु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्रव्यवाचक (neuter nom/acc sg; gourd)

• दारु: wood
• दारु: Visheshya (Head-term/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्रव्यवाचक (neuter nom/acc sg; wood)

• मृद्वेणु: soft bamboo
• मृद्वेणु: Visheshya (Head-term/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदु + वेणु (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘soft bamboo’) (masc nom/acc sg)

• पात्रम्: a vessel/bowl
• पात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative, singular)

• शस्तम्: recommended/approved
• शस्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंस् (धातु) → शस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् (neuter nom sg; recommended)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• पञ्चमम्: a fifth (one)
• पञ्चमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; ‘a fifth (type)’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims in frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A safflower-robed mendicant with staff receives alms, carrying a simple bowl made of gourd/wood/clay/bamboo; he turns away from admirers, avoiding fame.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Yati (ascetic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renunciation is safeguarded by simplicity: plain clothing, alms-living, and freedom from the pursuit of recognition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework, where Kāśī is depicted as a seat of disciplined dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance on ascetic requisites: safflower cloth, staff, and approved materials for the alms-bowl (gourd/wood/clay/bamboo).