Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

श्यामाकांजलियाञ्चार्थमृषिकन्यानुयायिभिः । धृतोपग्रहदर्भास्यैर्मृगशावैरलंकृतम्

Transliteration

śyāmākāṃjaliyāñcārthamṛṣikanyānuyāyibhiḥ | dhṛtopagrahadarbhāsyairmṛgaśāvairalaṃkṛtam

Translation

其处又以幼鹿为饰，口衔达尔婆草（darbha）作仪轨之具；并有随行的仙女们，手捧一把把黑黍（śyāmā）之谷以求布施。

Word by Word

• श्यामाक: millet (śyāmāka grain)
• श्यामाक: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्यामाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (here: a kind of grain—millet)

• अञ्जलि: a handful (añjali measure)
• अञ्जलि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (measure: a handful)

• यान्: whom/which (acc. pl.)
• यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

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

• अर्थम्: purpose/aim
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ऋषिकन्या: a sage’s daughter
• ऋषिकन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ṛṣer kanyā)

• अनुयायिभिः: by the followers/attendants
• अनुयायिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु-या (धातु) → अनुयायिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (agent noun: follower)

• धृत: held/bearing
• धृत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासाङ्ग; (held/borne)

• उपग्रह: an accessory/appendage
• उपग्रह: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• दर्भ: darbha grass
• दर्भ: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• आस्यैः: with mouths/faces
• आस्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; (with mouths/faces)

• मृगशावैः: with fawns (young deer)
• मृगशावैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + शाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (mṛgasya śāvaḥ)

• अलंकृतम्: adorned/decorated
• अलंकृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलम् + कृ (धातु) → अलंकृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (predicative: adorned)

Speaker

Narrator (deduced: Vyāsa reporting; immediate speaker not marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame), and/or Agastya in internal dialogue context

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An āśrama-like procession in Kāśī: sage-daughters approach with cupped palms of dark śyāmā grains for alms; gentle fawn-deer stand adorned, holding darbha grass in their mouths like ritual tokens; the atmosphere is serene and devotional.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣi-kanyās (sage-daughters)
• Darbhā (kuśa grass)
• Mṛga-śāva (fawns)
• Śyāmāka (grain)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays the simplicity and purity of āśrama life—alms, ritual cleanliness, and gentle creatures—supporting dharma through austerity and service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse remains within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative milieu; it depicts an āśrama scene rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of darbhā (kuśa grass) as a ritual accessory is indicated; alms-seeking (yācñā) is also referenced.