Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

बंधुजीवेऽधररुचिं कलहंसे कलागतीः । निक्षेपमिव सा क्षिप्त्वा शरद्यासीत्तपोरता

Transliteration

baṃdhujīve'dhararuciṃ kalahaṃse kalāgatīḥ | nikṣepamiva sā kṣiptvā śaradyāsīttaporatā

Translation

她如同抛下寄存之物一般，弃却了如班杜迦花般的唇色嫣红，也弃却了如天鹅步态般的优雅技艺；入秋之时，她全然归于苦行（tapas）。

Word by Word

• बन्धुजीवे: in the bandhu-jīva flower
• बन्धुजीवे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धुजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अधररुचिम्: the lip-like redness/lustre
• अधररुचिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर + रुचि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कलहंसे: in the (male) swan
• कलहंसे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलहंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• कलागतीः: graceful movements
• कलागतीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला + गति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• निक्षेपम्: a casting/throwing away
• निक्षेपम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक निपात (comparative particle)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• क्षिप्त्वा: having cast away
• क्षिप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• शरदि: in autumn
• शरदि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालवाचक-सप्तमी

• आसीत्: was, became
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तपोरता: devoted to austerity
• तपोरता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + रत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: तपसि रता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Transition into autumn: the maiden removes ornaments/adornments, hair simply bound, lips no longer colored; she walks away from worldly arts toward a quiet austere grove under clear śarad skies.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūtapāpā
• bandhūka (flower)
• swan (haṃsa)
• autumn (śarad)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True purification comes from relinquishing attachment to beauty and accomplishment, choosing tapas as the higher ornament.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sanctity by portraying tapas aligned with Kāśī’s purifying ethos, without naming a single tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the prescription is ethical-spiritual: renunciation and sustained austerity.