Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अस्थिचर्मावशेषं च शिराजालितविग्रहम् । शिरालं दीर्घजंघं च स्थूलगुल्फास्थिभीषणम्

Transliteration

asthicarmāvaśeṣaṃ ca śirājālitavigraham | śirālaṃ dīrghajaṃghaṃ ca sthūlagulphāsthibhīṣaṇam

Translation

അസ്ഥിയും തോലും മാത്രമായി അവശേഷിച്ച അവന്റെ ശരീരം ഞരമ്പുകളാൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു. നീണ്ട കാലുകളും തടിച്ച കണങ്കാൽ അസ്ഥികളുമുള്ള അവൻ ഭയങ്കരനായി കാണപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• अस्थि-चर्म-अवशेषम्: having only bones and skin remaining
• अस्थि-चर्म-अवशेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अवशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अस्थि-चर्मयोः अवशेषः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिरा-जालित-विग्रहम्: whose body is netted/covered with veins
• शिरा-जालित-विग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिरा (प्रातिपदिक) + जालित (कृदन्त; √जाल्/जाल-भावे, भूतकृदन्त) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शिराभिः जालितः विग्रहः)

• शिरालम्: veiny, full of veins
• शिरालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• दीर्घ-जङ्घम्: long-shanked, long-legged
• दीर्घ-जङ्घम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (दीर्घा जङ्घा यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्थूल-गुल्फ-अस्थि-भीषणम्: terrifying with thick ankle-bones
• स्थूल-गुल्फ-अस्थि-भीषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + गुल्फ (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्थूलगुल्फस्य अस्थिभिः भीषणम्)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual narration to Agastya in Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (frame typical; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A skeletal, skin-clad preta with rope-like protruding veins and long shanks stands in a dim cremation-ground-like setting; the atmosphere is stark and unsettling, inviting pity rather than disgust.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse uses stark imagery to cultivate vairāgya (detachment) and readiness for dharmic counsel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra is the overarching holy geography of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.