Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

अधस्तादधिकैर्दंतैर्मातरं भक्षयेत्स्फुटम् । पतिहीना च विकटैः कुलटा विरलैर्भवेत्

Transliteration

adhastādadhikairdaṃtairmātaraṃ bhakṣayetsphuṭam | patihīnā ca vikaṭaiḥ kulaṭā viralairbhavet

Translation

अधस्तादधिकैर्दन्तैर्मातरं भक्षयेत्स्फुटम्। पतिहीना च विकटैः कुलटा विरलैर्भवेत्॥

Word by Word

• अधस्तात्: below
• अधस्तात्: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (below)

• अधिकैः: with excessive/more
• अधिकैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• दन्तैः: with teeth
• दन्तैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचनम्

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• भक्षयेत्: would eat/devour
• भक्षयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• स्फुटम्: clearly
• स्फुटम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: clearly/distinctly)

• पति-हीना: husbandless
• पति-हीना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; नञ्-रहितार्थक-तत्पुरुषः (devoid of husband); विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• विकटैः: with ugly/terrible
• विकटैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• कुलटा: an unchaste woman
• कुलटा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• विरलैः: with sparse/irregular
• विरलैः: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern didactic moment: the teacher explains severe-sounding consequences tied to dental irregularities; listeners appear uneasy, underscoring the cautionary tone.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (context)
• Skanda (context)
• Agastya (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reflects a traditional (and culturally bound) omen-system linking physical irregularities with family and social outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse set in the Kāśī tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a statement of perceived omens and consequences.