Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणं कुशलं पृच्छेद्बाहुजातमनामयम् । वैश्यं सुखं समागम्य शूद्रं संतोषमेव च

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaṃ kuśalaṃ pṛcchedbāhujātamanāmayam | vaiśyaṃ sukhaṃ samāgamya śūdraṃ saṃtoṣameva ca

Translation

当问婆罗门安泰与否；当问由臂而生的刹帝利身体是否康健；遇见吠舍，当问其生活是否安适；而对首陀罗，则当问其心是否满足安然。

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• कुशलम्: well-being / welfare (as ‘well’)
• कुशलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• बाहुजातम्: born from the arm (Kshatriya)
• बाहुजातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहु + जात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बाहोः जातः)

• अनामयम्: free from illness
• अनामयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनामय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वैश्यम्: a Vaishya
• वैश्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• सुखम्: happiness / comfort
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• समागम्य: having met
• समागम्य: Kriya (Adverbial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having met)

• शूद्रम्: a Shudra
• शूद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• संतोषम्: contentment
• संतोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ghat-side meeting in Kāśī: pilgrims of different varṇas exchange respectful greetings; the brāhmaṇa is asked ‘kuśalam?’, the kṣatriya ‘anāmaya?’, the vaiśya ‘sukham?’, the śūdra ‘santoṣa?’. Background shows boats, steps, and a temple spire.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya (bāhu-jāta)
• Vaiśya
• Śūdra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes refined speech and respect: one should greet people appropriately, wishing them the good most relevant to their station and duties.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī narrative environment, presenting cultured conduct as part of Kāśī’s dharmic ideal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it prescribes ethical etiquette (ācāra) in everyday interactions.