Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

उदीची दिक्स्पृशमपि स मुनिर्मातरिश्वनम् । प्रसार्य बाहू संश्लिष्य काश्याः पृच्छेदनामयम्

Transliteration

udīcī dikspṛśamapi sa munirmātariśvanam | prasārya bāhū saṃśliṣya kāśyāḥ pṛcchedanāmayam

Translation

വടക്കുദിശയെ സ്പർശിക്കാനാകുന്നത്ര മാത്രം; ആ മുനി കൈകൾ നീട്ടി കാറ്റിനെ ആലിംഗനം ചെയ്ത് കാശിയുടെ കുശലക്ഷേമം ചോദിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• उदीची: northern
• उदीची: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies दिक्)

• दिक्: direction
• दिक्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्पृशम्: touching
• स्पृशम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle) का द्वितीया-एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग-रूप (used adverbially/with implied 'being/touching'); 'touching'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मातरिश्वनम्: Mātariśvan (Vāyu/wind)
• मातरिश्वनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातरिश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वायुवाचक-नाम (name of Vāyu)

• प्रसार्य: having stretched out
• प्रसार्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having stretched/spread'

• बाहू: (his) two arms
• बाहू: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• संश्लिष्य: having embraced
• संश्लिष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√श्लिष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having embraced/clasped'

• काश्याः: of Kāśī
• काश्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पृच्छेत्: would ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनामयम्: well-being/health
• अनामयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनामय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (अर्थे: 'well-being/health')

Speaker

Vyāsa (continuing narration from 69)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (addressed through the northward wind)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage stands facing north, arms outstretched, embracing the wind as if it were a beloved messenger; his lips ask, ‘Is Kāśī well?’ The landscape bends with the breeze, suggesting the wind’s responsiveness.

Characters & Entities

• Muni (unnamed)
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion turns even the elements into messengers; longing for the sacred dhāma (Kāśī) becomes a continuous remembrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is directly referenced and treated as a living sacred realm whose welfare is cherished.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse depicts devotional gesture and remembrance rather than a formal rite.