Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

शम्यपामार्गखर्जूरीशेलुश्रीपर्णिपीलुजम् । राजादनं च नारंगं कषायकटुकंटकम्

Transliteration

śamyapāmārgakharjūrīśeluśrīparṇipīlujam | rājādanaṃ ca nāraṃgaṃ kaṣāyakaṭukaṃṭakam

Translation

กิ่งจากต้นชะมี อปามารคะ อินทผลัม เศลุ ศรีปรณี และปีลุก็เหมาะสม อีกทั้งจากต้นราชาทนะและนารังคะ (ส้ม) ซึ่งเป็นไม้มีรสฝาด เผ็ดร้อน และมีหนาม

Word by Word

• śamya-pāmārga-kharjūrī-śelu-śrīparṇi-pīlu-jam: derived from śamya, apāmārga, date-palm, śelu, śrīparṇī, and pīlu
• śamya-pāmārga-kharjūrī-śelu-śrīparṇi-pīlu-jam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śamya (प्रातिपदिक) + apāmārga (प्रातिपदिक) + kharjūrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śelu (प्रातिपदिक) + śrīparṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + pīlu (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (…-जम् = ‘born from/derived from …’)

• rājādanam: rājādana (a tree)
• rājādanam: Visheshya/Item (Enumerated item/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• nāraṅgam: orange/citron tree
• nāraṅgam: Visheshya/Item (Enumerated item/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāraṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• kaṣāya-kaṭu-kaṇṭakam: astringent and pungent, thorny
• kaṣāya-kaṭu-kaṇṭakam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaṣāya (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṭu (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय/समाहार (कषायश्च कटुश्च (स्वादः) यस्य तत्)

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a tray of different twigs with distinctive leaves/fruits (date, orange), a teacher explaining their tastes (astringent/pungent) while a pilgrim listens attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Śamī
• Apāmārga
• Kharjūrī
• Śelu
• Śrīparṇī
• Pīlu
• Rājādana
• Nāraṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity practices are harmonized with nature—specific plants are chosen to support cleanliness and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

As part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa, it contributes to the dhārmic lifestyle associated with the sanctity of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use tooth-sticks from specified trees/plants, favoring astringent/pungent (often thorny) varieties for effective cleansing.