Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

इति निश्चितचेतस्के वशिष्ठे तापसे शुचौ । अशूद्रान्न परीपुष्टे तुष्टोहं चंडिकेऽभवम्

Transliteration

iti niścitacetaske vaśiṣṭhe tāpase śucau | aśūdrānna parīpuṣṭe tuṣṭohaṃ caṃḍike'bhavam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ദൃഢനിശ്ചയമുള്ള ശുദ്ധ തപസ്വിയായ വസിഷ്ഠൻ ശൂദ്രരുടെ അന്നാൽ പോഷിക്കപ്പെടാതിരുന്നപ്പോൾ, ഞാൻ ചണ്ഡിക അവനിൽ പൂർണ്ണമായി പ്രസന്നയായി.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण-समाप्ति/quotative particle)

• niścita-cetaske: in/with the resolute-minded (one)
• niścita-cetaske: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niścita (कृदन्त; √ci (धातु) + नि + क्त) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'निश्चितं चेतः यस्य'

• vaśiṣṭhe: in/with Vasiṣṭha
• vaśiṣṭhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• tāpase: in/with the ascetic
• tāpase: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'ascetic'

• śucau: pure
• śucau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• aśūdra-annam: food not from a Śūdra (i.e., non-Śūdra food)
• aśūdra-annam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-śūdra (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'अशूद्रं (शूद्र-रहितं) अन्नम्'

• parī-puṣṭe: when (he was) well-nourished
• parī-puṣṭe: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari + √puṣ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: 'well-nourished/satisfied' (locative absolute with preceding)

• tuṣṭaḥ: pleased
• tuṣṭaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṣṭa (कृदन्त; √tuṣ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अस्मद्-शब्द

• caṃḍike: at Caṇḍikā
• caṃḍike: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṃḍikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे/स्थानार्थे 'in Caṇḍikā (temple/at Caṇḍikā)'

• abhavam: I became/was
• abhavam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Caṇḍikā (Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha, serene and radiant, sits in an ascetic posture with a water-pot and staff; offerings of food are present but he refuses certain fare; Caṇḍikā’s unseen presence is indicated by a red-gold aura or a lion-emblem banner, signifying her satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity of conduct and unwavering resolve in austerity attract divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter context is Kāśī, with the narrative moving toward Kedāra-kṣetra’s manifestation and praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies strictness in sustenance during tapas (discipline in accepting food), though no detailed rite is enumerated here.