Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ऊरू कटी नितंबस्फिग्भगो जघन बस्तिके । नाभिः कुक्षिद्वयं पार्श्वोदरमध्य वलित्रयम्

Transliteration

ūrū kaṭī nitaṃbasphigbhago jaghana bastike | nābhiḥ kukṣidvayaṃ pārśvodaramadhya valitrayam

Translation

继而观大腿、腰、髋与臀、阴部、腰背与骨盆之处；又观脐、两胁、两侧、腹之中部，以及腹部三重褶纹。

Word by Word

• ūrū: the two thighs
• ūrū: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• kaṭī: waist
• kaṭī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• nitaṃba-sphig-bhagaḥ: hips, buttocks, and genital region
• nitaṃba-sphig-bhagaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitaṃba (प्रातिपदिक) + sphig (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective listing: hips/buttocks/pudendum)

• jaghanam: loins, rump
• jaghanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bastike: the two bladder/groin regions
• bastike: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: basti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (dual form used for paired region)

• nābhiḥ: navel
• nābhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kukṣi-dvayam: the pair of sides (flanks)
• kukṣi-dvayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kukṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + dvi (संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (two flanks/sides of abdomen)

• pārśva-udara-madhyam: middle of the abdomen/waist region
• pārśva-udara-madhyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (madhya of udara; with pārśva- as qualifier)

• vali-trayam: the three folds (wrinkles)
• vali-trayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vali (प्रातिपदिक) + tri (संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three folds/wrinkles)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni/ṛṣi

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An anatomical mid-body register: thighs to navel and abdomen, with emphasis on waistline, pelvic region, and three abdominal folds; presented as a teaching diagram rather than sensual depiction—modest, schematic, and symbolic.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma texts sometimes encode social-ethical ideals through ‘marks’ language, emphasizing discernment and ordered knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred milieu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it continues the anatomical/mark listing.