Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

रूक्षस्फुटितकेशाग्रं महालंब शिरोधरम् । अतीव चिपिट घ्राणं शुष्कौष्ठमतिदंतुरम्

Transliteration

rūkṣasphuṭitakeśāgraṃ mahālaṃba śirodharam | atīva cipiṭa ghrāṇaṃ śuṣkauṣṭhamatidaṃturam

Translation

اس کے بالوں کے سِرے کھردرے اور پھٹے ہوئے تھے؛ اس کا سر اور گردن بھاری ہو کر لمبے لٹک رہے تھے۔ ناک بہت پچکی ہوئی، ہونٹ خشک، اور دانت بدصورت طور پر باہر نکلے ہوئے تھے۔

Word by Word

• रूक्षस्फुटितकेशाग्रम्: with rough, split hair-ends
• रूक्षस्फुटितकेशाग्रम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष-स्फुटित-केश-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; रूक्ष + स्फुटित + केश + अग्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास (वर्णनात्मक): ‘रूक्षं स्फुटितं केशाग्रं यस्य’

• महा: great, very
• महा: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• लम्ब: hanging, long
• लम्ब: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• शिरोधरम्: having a (long) neck
• शिरोधरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिरस्-धर (प्रातिपदिक; शिरस् + धर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘शिरसः धरः’ = neck/that which bears the head)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रतावाचक (intensifier)

• चिपिट: flat
• चिपिट: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिपिट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘घ्राणम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• घ्राणम्: nose
• घ्राणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शुष्कौष्ठम्: with dry lips
• शुष्कौष्ठम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क-ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; शुष्क + ओष्ठ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (‘शुष्कः ओष्ठः यस्य’)

• अतिदन्तुरम्: very toothy, with protruding teeth
• अतिदन्तुरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-दन्तुर (प्रातिपदिक; अति + दन्तुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (‘अतिशयेन दन्तुरम्’ = very toothy/protruding teeth)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-associated saras (lake) vicinity

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, detailed portrayal of the rākṣasa: rough split hair, massively hanging head/neck, flattened nose, parched lips, protruding teeth—an embodiment of decay and dread at the edge of sacred waters.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma is portrayed as inner distortion mirrored outwardly; the devotee is urged to remain aligned with purity and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it supports the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative by detailing the obstacle encountered in the sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, preparing for the ensuing religious/moral action in the story.