Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ऊरू कटी नितंबस्फिग्भगो जघन बस्तिके । नाभिः कुक्षिद्वयं पार्श्वोदरमध्य वलित्रयम्

Transliteration

ūrū kaṭī nitaṃbasphigbhago jaghana bastike | nābhiḥ kukṣidvayaṃ pārśvodaramadhya valitrayam

Translation

پھر رانیں، کمر، کولہے اور سرین، شرمگاہ، کمر کے پچھلے حصے اور حوضِ خاصرہ؛ ناف، دونوں پہلو (کُکشی)، اطراف، پیٹ کا درمیانی حصہ اور پیٹ کی تین شکنیں۔

Word by Word

• ūrū: the two thighs
• ūrū: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• kaṭī: waist
• kaṭī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• nitaṃba-sphig-bhagaḥ: hips, buttocks, and genital region
• nitaṃba-sphig-bhagaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitaṃba (प्रातिपदिक) + sphig (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective listing: hips/buttocks/pudendum)

• jaghanam: loins, rump
• jaghanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bastike: the two bladder/groin regions
• bastike: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: basti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (dual form used for paired region)

• nābhiḥ: navel
• nābhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kukṣi-dvayam: the pair of sides (flanks)
• kukṣi-dvayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kukṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + dvi (संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (two flanks/sides of abdomen)

• pārśva-udara-madhyam: middle of the abdomen/waist region
• pārśva-udara-madhyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (madhya of udara; with pārśva- as qualifier)

• vali-trayam: the three folds (wrinkles)
• vali-trayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vali (प्रातिपदिक) + tri (संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three folds/wrinkles)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni/ṛṣi

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An anatomical mid-body register: thighs to navel and abdomen, with emphasis on waistline, pelvic region, and three abdominal folds; presented as a teaching diagram rather than sensual depiction—modest, schematic, and symbolic.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma texts sometimes encode social-ethical ideals through ‘marks’ language, emphasizing discernment and ordered knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred milieu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it continues the anatomical/mark listing.