Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

धारयेन्मेखलादंडोपवीताजिनमेव च । अनिंद्येषु चरेद्भैक्ष्यं ब्राह्मणेष्वात्मवृत्तये

Transliteration

dhārayenmekhalādaṃḍopavītājinameva ca | aniṃdyeṣu caredbhaikṣyaṃ brāhmaṇeṣvātmavṛttaye

Translation

तो मेखला, दंड, उपवीत व अजिन धारण करावा; आणि उपजीविकेसाठी निंदारहित ब्राह्मणांकडे भिक्षेस जावे।

Word by Word

• धारयेत्: should wear/hold
• धारयेत्: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मेखला: girdle
• मेखला: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दण्ड: staff
• दण्ड: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपवीत: sacred thread
• उपवीत: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अजिनम्: deerskin
• अजिनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: अवधारण (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अनिन्द्येषु: among blameless (persons)
• अनिन्द्येषु: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-निन्द्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + निन्द्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘ब्राह्मणेषु’ इत्यस्य

• चरेत्: should practice/go about
• चरेत्: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भैक्ष्यम्: alms-begging (alms)
• भैक्ष्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणेषु: among Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेषु: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• आत्मवृत्तये: for one’s livelihood/maintenance
• आत्मवृत्तये: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म-वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक; आत्मन् + वृत्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brahmacārin wearing mekhalā and upavīta, holding a staff and deerskin, walks through narrow Kāśī lanes to a blameless brāhmaṇa household for alms; he stands modestly at the threshold.

Characters & Entities

• Mekhalā
• Daṇḍa
• Upavīta
• Ajina
• Bhaikṣya
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Brahmacarya is marked by simplicity and restraint—external signs and humble living support inner discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a conduct-rule within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa; it does not single out a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wearing the brahmacārin’s insignia (mekhalā, daṇḍa, upavīta, ajina) and practicing bhaikṣā (alms) among worthy brāhmaṇas.