Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

मुखवासं तु यो दद्याद्दर्पणं चारुचामरम् । उल्लोचं सुखपर्यंकं तस्य पुण्यफलं महत्

Transliteration

mukhavāsaṃ tu yo dadyāddarpaṇaṃ cārucāmaram | ullocaṃ sukhaparyaṃkaṃ tasya puṇyaphalaṃ mahat

Translation

താംബൂലാദി മുഖവാസം, ദർപ്പണം, മനോഹരമായ ചാമരം, പാദപീഠം (ഉല്ലോചം), സുഖകരമായ പര്യങ്കം എന്നിവ ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവന് മഹത്തായ പുണ്യഫലം ലഭിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• मुख-वासम्: a face-cloth/covering
• मुख-वासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुखस्य वासः)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दर्पणम्: a mirror
• दर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आरु-चामरम्: a beautiful yak-tail fan
• आरु-चामरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरु/चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + चामर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (चारुं चामरम्)

• उल्लोचम्: a lamp/illumination (ulloca)
• उल्लोचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्लोच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुख-पर्यङ्कम्: a comfortable couch/bed
• सुख-पर्यङ्कम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुखः पर्यङ्कः)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुण्य-फलम्: the meritorious result
• पुण्य-फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यस्य फलम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara in Kāśī (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee presents tāmbūla, a polished mirror, a yak-tail fan, a footstool, and a cushioned couch as temple gifts; attendants arrange them near the sanctum, signifying royal-style service to Viśveśvara.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sevā expressed through practical gifts that support worship and comfort in the sacred precinct generates great punya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, in the context of service and offerings to Viśveśvara’s worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donating items used for personal refreshment and temple comfort—mukhavāsa, mirror, fan, footstool, and couch—as acts of devotional charity.