Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

वटोदुंबरराजीव बिल्वपत्रकुशोदकम् । प्रत्येकं प्रत्यहं पीतं पर्णकृच्छ्रः प्रकीर्तितः

Transliteration

vaṭoduṃbararājīva bilvapatrakuśodakam | pratyekaṃ pratyahaṃ pītaṃ parṇakṛcchraḥ prakīrtitaḥ

Translation

每日各别饮用、按日次第更替：以榕树、优昙婆罗、莲、毕婆叶与吉祥草（kuśa）浸润之水——此被宣说为“叶苦行”（Parṇa-Kṛcchra）戒法。

Word by Word

• vaṭa: banyan (leaf)
• vaṭa: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular) — समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• uḍumbara: udumbara/cluster fig (leaf)
• uḍumbara: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uḍumbara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन — समासाङ्ग

• rājīva: lotus (leaf)
• rājīva: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन — समासाङ्ग

• bilva-patra-kuśa-udakam: water (infused) with bilva leaves and kuśa grass
• bilva-patra-kuśa-udakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilva (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + kuśa (प्रातिपदिक) + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular); षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative): ‘bilva-patra’ + ‘kuśa’ + ‘udaka’ = water with bilva-leaves and kuśa-grass

• pratyekam: each (one)
• pratyekam: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pratyeka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘each (one) separately’

• pratyaham: daily
• pratyaham: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati + ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्यय (adverb): ‘every day’

• pītam: (is) drunk
• pītam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (पा, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘drunk/consumed’

• parṇa-kṛcchraḥ: the ‘leaf-kṛcchra’ penance
• parṇa-kṛcchraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘parṇa’ (leaf) + ‘kṛcchra’ (austerity)

• prakīrtitaḥ: is declared
• prakīrtitaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √kīrt (कीर्त्, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘is proclaimed/declared’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general vrata context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A restrained ascetic/pilgrim in Kāśī sits near a ghat with a small water vessel; five sacred leaves/grass are arranged separately, each to be infused and sipped on successive days; distant temples and Gaṅgā set the sacred frame.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification can be pursued through carefully regulated, sattvic austerities using ritually pure substances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to Kāśī Khaṇḍa, aligning such observances with the sanctifying power of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Parṇa-Kṛcchra: drink kuśa-water infused with vaṭa, udumbara, lotus, and bilva leaves—each taken separately on successive days.