Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

एकभक्तेन नक्तेन तथैवायाचितेन च । उपवासेन देहोयं संशोध्यो शुचिभाजनम्

Transliteration

ekabhaktena naktena tathaivāyācitena ca | upavāsena dehoyaṃ saṃśodhyo śucibhājanam

Translation

ഒരിക്കൽ മാത്രം ഭക്ഷണം, നക്തവ്രതം (രാത്രിഭക്ഷണനിയമം), യാചിക്കാതെ ലഭിക്കുന്ന അന്നം മാത്രം സ്വീകരിക്കൽ, ഉപവാസം—ഇവയാൽ ശുചിത്വത്തിന്റെ പാത്രമായ ഈ ദേഹം ശോധിച്ച് ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ekabhaktena: by taking a single meal (once-a-day food)
• ekabhaktena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समासः—एकभक्त (एकं भक्तं यस्य/एकभक्तम् = एकवारं भोजनम्)

• naktena: by night-only (night meal/at night)
• naktena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘नक्त’ = रात्रौ (रात्रिभोजन/रात्रौ एव)

• tathā: thus, likewise
• tathā: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• ayācitena: by what is unasked-for (unsolicited food)
• ayācitena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-yācita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘अयाचित’ (अनयाचितम् = बिना याचनया लब्धम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (Conjunction/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• upavāsena: by fasting
• upavāsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• dehaḥ: the body
• dehaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• saṃśodhyaḥ: is to be purified
• saṃśodhyaḥ: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-śudh (धातु) → saṃśodhya (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम्; भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक—‘शोधनीयः’ (to be purified)

• śucibhājanam: a pure vessel (fit receptacle)
• śucibhājanam: Predicate (Complement/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + bhājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—शुचि च तत् भाजनम् (pure vessel)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A restrained pilgrim in Kāśī, seated near a ghat at dusk, taking a simple single meal; nearby, a water-pot and prayer beads; the atmosphere suggests disciplined purity before sacred acts.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Physical discipline supports inner purity; the body becomes fit for dharma through regulated intake and fasting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse outlines general vrata-austerities within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ekabhakta (one meal), Nakta (night meal), Ayācita (unsolicited food), and Upavāsa (fasting).