Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

भूशय्या ब्रह्मचर्यं च किंचिद्भक्ष्यनिषेधनम् । एकभक्तादि नियमो नित्यदानं स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

bhūśayyā brahmacaryaṃ ca kiṃcidbhakṣyaniṣedhanam | ekabhaktādi niyamo nityadānaṃ svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

وَرت رکھنے والا زمین پر سوئے، برہماچریہ (عفت) کی پابندی کرے، بعض غذاؤں سے پرہیز کرے؛ ایک وقت کے بھوجن وغیرہ کے نِیَم اپنائے اور اپنی استطاعت کے مطابق روزانہ دان کرے۔

Word by Word

• bhūśayyā: sleeping on the ground (ground-bed)
• bhūśayyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū-śayyā (प्रातिपदिक; bhū + śayyā)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• brahmacaryam: celibacy, brahmacarya
• brahmacaryam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kiṃcit: some, a little
• kiṃcit: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम/अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अल्पत्ववाचक अव्यय (indefinite quantifier: ‘some, a little’)

• bhakṣya-niṣedhanam: prohibition of (certain) foods
• bhakṣya-niṣedhanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakṣya + niṣedhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• ekabhakta-ādi: (rules) such as eating once (a day), etc.
• ekabhakta-ādi: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka + bhakta + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); ‘ādi’ = ‘etc.’ (ending member)

• niyamaḥ: a discipline, observance
• niyamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• nitya-dānam: daily giving (charity)
• nitya-dānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• svaśaktitaḥ: according to one’s own ability
• svaśaktitaḥ: Adhikaraṇa/Hetu (Circumstance/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva-śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/according to one’s capacity’

Speaker

Skanda

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Cāturmāsya
• Vrata
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit grows through disciplined living—restraint, purity, moderated diet, and daily charity performed within one’s means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider context is the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, thus the practices are framed as part of the dharma and merit associated with Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ground-sleeping, celibacy, selective food restrictions, one-meal discipline (ekabhakta), and daily dāna according to capacity.