Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

शूद्रान्नसेविनो विप्रा जिह्वाला अतिलालसाः । संध्यास्नानजपेज्यासु दूरीकृत मनोधियः

Transliteration

śūdrānnasevino viprā jihvālā atilālasāḥ | saṃdhyāsnānajapejyāsu dūrīkṛta manodhiyaḥ

Translation

برہمن دوسروں کا کھانا کھانے والے بن جاتے ہیں، ان کی زبان ہمیشہ لالچ کرتی ہے؛ ان کا ذہن سندھیا، اشنان، جاپ اور پوجا سے دور رہتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• शूद्रान्नसेविनः: eating/serving Śūdra food
• शूद्रान्नसेविनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूद्र + अन्न + सेविन् (प्रातिपदिक; √सेव्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शूद्रस्य अन्नं सेवते इति)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• जिह्वालाः: tongue-driven/gluttonous
• जिह्वालाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिह्वाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (one who is tongue-driven/gluttonous)

• अतिलालसाः: excessively greedy
• अतिलालसाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (अतिशयेन लालसाः)

• संध्यास्नानजपेज्यासु: in (matters of) twilight-prayer, bathing, japa, and worship
• संध्यास्नानजपेज्यासु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या + स्नान + जप + इज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (संध्या, स्नान, जप, इज्या) अधिकरण (in regard to)

• दूरीकृत: kept far away
• दूरीकृत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूरि (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + कृ (धातु) → दूरीकृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (पाठानुसारं 'दूरीकृताः' अपेक्षितम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (made far/kept away)

• मनोधियः: mind and intellect
• मनोधियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (मनः च धियः च)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (ghāṭa-sandhyā context)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī or immediate Kāśīkhaṇḍa interlocutor (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene: a brāhmaṇa in sacred thread sits distracted by rich food offerings, tongue extended in craving; behind him, the three sandhyā suns/moons pass while he neglects bath, japa beads, and a small altar; a contrasting disciplined brāhmaṇa performs sandhyā at the ghat.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Sandhyā
• Japa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of daily disciplines (sandhyā, snāna, japa, pūjā) and sense-driven living are shown as signs of dharmic decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; it frames the need for Kāśī’s purifying power in the surrounding passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sandhyā observance, bathing, japa, and ijyā (worship) are explicitly referenced as duties being neglected.