Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

सूपकर्मण्यपि च मां प्रशाधि त्वष्ट्रनंदन । यथांगुल्यो न दह्यंते पाकः स्याच्च यथा शुभः

Transliteration

sūpakarmaṇyapi ca māṃ praśādhi tvaṣṭranaṃdana | yathāṃgulyo na dahyaṃte pākaḥ syācca yathā śubhaḥ

Translation

പാചകകാര്യത്തിലും എന്നെ ഉപദേശിച്ച് സജ്ജമാക്കുക, ഹേ ത്വഷ്ടൃനന്ദന; എന്റെ വിരലുകൾ കത്താതെയും പാകം ശുഭമായി നന്നായി സിദ്ധിക്കയും ചെയ്യട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• सूपकर्मणि: in the work of cooking
• सूपकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/Context अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूप-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; सूप + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (cooking-work)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Modifier (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रशाधि: instruct; train; set right
• प्रशाधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√शाध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वष्ट्रनन्दन: O son of Tvaṣṭṛ
• त्वष्ट्रनन्दन: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्ट्र्-नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक; त्वष्ट्र् + नन्दन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (son of Tvaṣṭṛ)

• यथा: so that
• यथा: Purpose/Result marker (फल/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/फलवाचक अव्यय (so that)

• अङ्गुल्यः: fingers
• अङ्गुल्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Negator (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (not)

• दह्यन्ते: are burned
• दह्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (are burnt)

• पाकः: cooking; the cooked result
• पाकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be; may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• यथा: so that
• यथा: Purpose/Result marker (फल/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/so that)

• शुभः: good; auspicious
• शुभः: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘पाकः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Guru-kanyā (addressing Tvāṣṭra), within Skanda’s narration to Agastya (context of Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Annapūrṇā/Viśveśvara kṣetra, contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The divine artisan instructs the maiden in cooking arts; a hearth glows gently, hands poised safely, and the meal appears auspicious—fit for offering.

Characters & Entities

• Tvāṣṭra
• Tvaṣṭṛ
• Guru-kanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes learning practical skills safely and correctly, turning daily work into auspicious, well-ordered living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred setting is Kāśī, but this verse focuses on household instruction rather than tīrtha-glory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it emphasizes proper method (vidhi-like care) in daily cooking for auspicious outcomes.