Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

साक्षसूत्रकरान्किंचिद्विनिमीलितलो चनान् । सुधौतसूक्ष्मकाषायवासः प्रावरणान्वितान

Transliteration

sākṣasūtrakarānkiṃcidvinimīlitalo canān | sudhautasūkṣmakāṣāyavāsaḥ prāvaraṇānvitāna

Translation

కొంతమంది చేతుల్లో సాక్షసూత్రం (జపమాల) ఉండి, కళ్ళు స్వల్పంగా మూసుకొని అంతర్ముఖ ధ్యానంలో ఉన్నారు; వారు శుభ్రంగా కడిగిన సన్నని కాషాయ వస్త్రాలు, తగిన ఉత్తరీయంతో కూడి ఉన్నారు।

Word by Word

• साक्षसूत्र-करान्: with rosaries in their hands
• साक्षसूत्र-करान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साक्षसूत्र + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कर = hand; ‘having rosary in hand’)

• किञ्चित्: slightly
• किञ्चित्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (indeclinable; somewhat/a little)

• विनिमीलित-लोचनान्: with eyes half-closed
• विनिमीलित-लोचनान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नि + मील् (धातु) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (P.P.P.) ‘विनिमीलित’; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• सुधौत-सूक्ष्म-काषाय-वासः: wearing well-washed fine ochre garments
• सुधौत-सूक्ष्म-काषाय-वासः: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुधौत + सूक्ष्म + काषाय + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वासस् = garment)

• प्रावरण-अन्वितान्: provided with outer coverings
• प्रावरण-अन्वितान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रावरण + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (P.P.P.) ‘अन्वित’; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages seated in composed posture, rosaries in hand, eyelids gently lowered in contemplation; their washed, fine ochre garments and upper cloths convey disciplined renunciation and purity.

Characters & Entities

• Saptarṣi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sage’s life is marked by japa, meditation, and simplicity—outer purity supporting inner absorption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly references japa (rosary) and dhyāna (half-closed eyes), but no explicit rule is stated.