Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

आवेष्ट्य नेत्रवस्त्रेण ततः पट्टांबरेण वै । ततः सुरसवस्त्रेण ततो मांजिष्ठवाससा

Transliteration

āveṣṭya netravastreṇa tataḥ paṭṭāṃbareṇa vai | tataḥ surasavastreṇa tato māṃjiṣṭhavāsasā

Translation

他先以细净之布裹之，继而确以丝衣包覆；再以芬芳之布覆裹，随后又以茜草（mañjiṣṭhā）染成之衣布包裹。

Word by Word

• आवेष्ट्य: having wrapped
• आवेष्ट्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-वेṣ्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having wrapped)

• नेत्रवस्त्रेण: with an eye-cloth (cloth for the eyes)
• नेत्रवस्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र-वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (नेत्रस्य वस्त्रम्)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• पट्टाम्बरेण: with silk cloth
• पट्टाम्बरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्ट-अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पट्टं अम्बरम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• सुरसवस्त्रेण: with fragrant cloth
• सुरसवस्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरस-वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुरसं वस्त्रम् = fragrant cloth)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• माञ्जिष्ठवाससा: with cloth dyed with madder (mañjiṣṭhā)
• माञ्जिष्ठवाससा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माञ्जिष्ठ-वासस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (माञ्जिष्ठया रञ्जितं वासः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up ritual action: hands carefully wrapping a small relic bundle—first in fine cloth, then silk, then fragrant fabric, then a deep red mañjiṣṭhā-dyed cloth—each layer folded with precision.

Characters & Entities

• Paṭṭāmbara (silk cloth)
• Mañjiṣṭhā (dye)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through careful, reverent action—honoring the departed with purity, order, and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit in this verse; it supports the broader Kāśī-khaṇḍa sacred-journey context (notably toward the Gaṅgā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sequential wrapping with fine cloth, silk, fragrant cloth, and mañjiṣṭhā-dyed cloth.