Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अविच्छिन्नं नवीनं च रजनीरागरंजितम् । वासः पात्रोपरि न्यस्य सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरं परम्

Transliteration

avicchinnaṃ navīnaṃ ca rajanīrāgaraṃjitam | vāsaḥ pātropari nyasya sūkṣmātsūkṣmataraṃ param

Translation

บนภาชนะนั้น พึงวางผ้าใหม่ที่ไม่ขาดไม่ต่อ ย้อมด้วยขมิ้นและสีแดง และให้เป็นผ้าที่ละเอียดที่สุด อ่อนนุ่มยิ่ง และประณีตเลิศ

Word by Word

• अविच्छिन्नम्: unbroken, seamless
• अविच्छिन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-छिद् (धातु) → विच्छिन्न (कृदन्त) + अ- (निषेध)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अविच्छिन्न’ = unbroken/without interruption

• नवीनम्: new
• नवीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• रजनीरागरंजितम्: dyed with rajanī-dye (indigo)
• रजनीरागरंजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजनी (प्रातिपदिक) + राग (प्रातिपदिक) + रञ्ज् (धातु) → रंजित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (‘रजनीरागेण रंजितम्’ = dyed with night-dye/indigo); PPP of ‘रञ्ज्’

• वासः: cloth, garment
• वासः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (वस्त्रार्थे)

• पात्र: on the vessel
• पात्र: Adhikarana (Locus/आधार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (upon/on)

• न्यस्य: having placed
• न्यस्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि- अस्/स्यन्द्? → न्यस् (धातु-रूप: नि+अस् ‘to place’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘नि+अस्’/‘न्यस्’ (having placed/laid)

• सूक्ष्मात्: than fine
• सूक्ष्मात्: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन; तुलनार्थक (than fine)

• सूक्ष्मतरम्: finer
• सूक्ष्मतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तद्धित/तुलनात्मक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative: finer)

• परम्: very, exceedingly; excellent
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (excellent/supreme/very)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee drapes an exceedingly fine, fresh, unbroken cloth—yellowed with turmeric and tinged red—over the vessel atop the kalaśa; the cloth catches lamplight, emphasizing delicacy and sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Rajanī (turmeric)
• Rāga (red dye)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer purity and beauty in offerings—new, intact, auspiciously colored cloth—express inner reverence and careful adherence to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī remains the implied sacred setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though the verse focuses on ritual requisites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Place a new, unbroken, finely woven cloth dyed with turmeric and red pigment upon the ritual vessel.