Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

धिग्जरांप्राणिनामत्र यया सर्वो विरज्यति । जरातुरेंद्रियग्रामे स्त्रियोपि नयतः स्वसात्

Transliteration

dhigjarāṃprāṇināmatra yayā sarvo virajyati | jarātureṃdriyagrāme striyopi nayataḥ svasāt

Translation

ജീവികളിലെ ആ ജരയെ ധിക്കരിക്കട്ടെ; അതിനാൽ എല്ലാവരും വിരക്തരാകുന്നു. ജരയാൽ ഇന്ദ്രിയസമൂഹം ക്ഷീണിക്കുമ്പോൾ സ്ത്രീകളും സ്വഭാവബലത്തിൽ വശപ്പെടാതെ പോകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• धिक्: fie!
• धिक्: Modifier (निन्दा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिक् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure: fie!)

• जराम्: old age
• जराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha/Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here)

• यया: by which
• यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to जरा

• सर्वः: everyone
• सर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विरज्यति: becomes dispassionate
• विरज्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; 'becomes dispassionate/loses color (attachment)'

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आतुर: afflicted
• आतुर: Modifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying इन्द्रियग्रामे)

• इन्द्रियग्रामे: in the group of senses
• इन्द्रियग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रियाणां ग्रामः = collection of senses)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

• नयतः: (the two) lead
• नयतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदम्; 'the two lead' (dual)

• स्वसात्: from (one's) own sister/kin
• स्वसात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (from one's sister/own kin)

Speaker

Skanda (narrating; lament voiced in the episode’s reflection)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant ghat-side scene: an aged householder/ascetic with trembling hands watches youthful life pass by; senses symbolized as fading lamps; the city of Kāśī stands indifferent yet compassionate.

Characters & Entities

• Jarā (old age)
• Indriyas (senses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Old age exposes the fragility of embodied life and becomes a catalyst for vairāgya and renewed spiritual urgency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a direct site-glorification verse; it supports the Kāśī Vṛddhāditya narrative by explaining the seeker’s motive.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse is reflective, emphasizing sense-decline and the need for discipline.