Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

एक एव किलोपायो बाले मे प्रभविष्यति । भूतालिं भीषणाकारां प्रहिणोमीह तद्भिये

Transliteration

eka eva kilopāyo bāle me prabhaviṣyati | bhūtāliṃ bhīṣaṇākārāṃ prahiṇomīha tadbhiye

Translation

«ليس لي على ذلك الغلام إلا حيلةٌ واحدة: سأبعث إلى هنا جموعًا من البهوتات (bhūta) ذوي الهيئات المرعبة ليفزعوه.»

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• एव: only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic ‘only/indeed’)

• किल: indeed
• किल: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रसिद्ध्यर्थ/अनुस्मरणार्थक-निपात (indeed/it is said)

• उपायः: means/strategy
• उपायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बाले: O child
• बाले: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th)/चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक-रूप (my/to me)

• प्रभविष्यति: will succeed/prevail
• प्रभविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भूत-आलिम्: a troop/row of spirits
• भूत-आलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् आलिः/पङ्क्तिः)

• भीषण-आकाराम्: of terrifying form
• भीषण-आकाराम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भीषणः आकारः यस्याः)

• प्रहिणोमि: I send forth
• प्रहिणोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हि (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• तद्-भिये: for his fear/for frightening him
• तद्-भिये: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य भिः/भयम्)

Speaker

Indra (deduced: escalation from temptation to fear tactics)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark troop of terrifying spirits—distorted forms, wild hair, glaring eyes—rush toward the meditating child; yet the child remains still, surrounded by a calm luminous aura that the spirits cannot penetrate.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūtas (spirits)
• Dhruva
• Indra (speaker)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When desire fails, fear is deployed—yet steadfast devotees are tested and ultimately strengthened by such trials.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s glorification of Kāśī-kṣetra, emphasizing the extraordinary stakes and fruits of practice there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes an attempted disruption of tapas rather than a prescribed rite.