Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

ममांगयोग्यं नो गाढं न श्लथं च प्रयत्नतः । विनैव वाससा चारु वाल्कलं च सदोज्ज्वलम्

Transliteration

mamāṃgayogyaṃ no gāḍhaṃ na ślathaṃ ca prayatnataḥ | vinaiva vāsasā cāru vālkalaṃ ca sadojjvalam

Translation

“అది నా దేహానికి తగినట్లుగా ఉండాలి—అతి బిగుగా కాక, అతి సడలుగా కాక; శ్రద్ధతో తయారుచేయాలి; అదనపు వస్త్రం లేకున్నా అందంగా, నిత్యదీప్తిగా ఉండే వల్కలవస్త్రమై ఉండాలి।”

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अङ्गयोग्यम्: fit for (my) body
• अङ्गयोग्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्ग + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः अङ्गस्य योग्यं (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• उ: indeed/at all
• उ: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/assuring particle)

• गाढम्: too tight
• गाढम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• श्लथम्: loose/slack
• श्लथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort/carefully
• प्रयत्नतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (preposition ‘without’)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• वाससा: with a garment/cloth
• वाससा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• चारु: beautiful
• चारु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वाल्कलम्: bark-cloth
• वाल्कलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाल्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• उज्ज्वलम्: bright/shining
• उज्ज्वलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Guru-patnī (continuing instruction), within Skanda’s narration to Agastya (context of Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The guru’s wife specifies tailoring details: a kañcuka that fits perfectly and a charming, luminous bark-garment without extra cloth; Tvāṣṭra contemplates measurements and material that paradoxically remains bright.

Characters & Entities

• Guru-patnī
• Tvāṣṭra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Balance and propriety—even in simple living—are part of dharma; careful workmanship becomes a form of righteous conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred landscape of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though no single tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse describes ascetic-style clothing and careful preparation as part of disciplined household life.