Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

रूक्षस्फुटितकेशाग्रं महालंब शिरोधरम् । अतीव चिपिट घ्राणं शुष्कौष्ठमतिदंतुरम्

Transliteration

rūkṣasphuṭitakeśāgraṃ mahālaṃba śirodharam | atīva cipiṭa ghrāṇaṃ śuṣkauṣṭhamatidaṃturam

Translation

അതിന്റേ മുടിത്തുമ്പുകൾ രൂക്ഷവും പിളർന്നതുമായിരുന്നു; തലയും കഴുത്തും ഭാരമായി തൂങ്ങി. മൂക്ക് അത്യന്തം ചപ്പ, അധരങ്ങൾ ഉണങ്ങി, പല്ലുകൾ ഭീകരമായി പുറത്തേക്ക് തള്ളിനിന്നു.

Word by Word

• रूक्षस्फुटितकेशाग्रम्: with rough, split hair-ends
• रूक्षस्फुटितकेशाग्रम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष-स्फुटित-केश-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; रूक्ष + स्फुटित + केश + अग्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास (वर्णनात्मक): ‘रूक्षं स्फुटितं केशाग्रं यस्य’

• महा: great, very
• महा: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• लम्ब: hanging, long
• लम्ब: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• शिरोधरम्: having a (long) neck
• शिरोधरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिरस्-धर (प्रातिपदिक; शिरस् + धर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘शिरसः धरः’ = neck/that which bears the head)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रतावाचक (intensifier)

• चिपिट: flat
• चिपिट: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिपिट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘घ्राणम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• घ्राणम्: nose
• घ्राणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शुष्कौष्ठम्: with dry lips
• शुष्कौष्ठम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क-ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; शुष्क + ओष्ठ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (‘शुष्कः ओष्ठः यस्य’)

• अतिदन्तुरम्: very toothy, with protruding teeth
• अतिदन्तुरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-दन्तुर (प्रातिपदिक; अति + दन्तुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (‘अतिशयेन दन्तुरम्’ = very toothy/protruding teeth)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-associated saras (lake) vicinity

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, detailed portrayal of the rākṣasa: rough split hair, massively hanging head/neck, flattened nose, parched lips, protruding teeth—an embodiment of decay and dread at the edge of sacred waters.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma is portrayed as inner distortion mirrored outwardly; the devotee is urged to remain aligned with purity and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it supports the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative by detailing the obstacle encountered in the sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, preparing for the ensuing religious/moral action in the story.