Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

दुष्टपाशयिता पाशी यमो नियमनेऽसताम् । इंदनात्त्वं महेंद्रोसि क्षमया त्वमसि क्षमा

Transliteration

duṣṭapāśayitā pāśī yamo niyamane'satām | iṃdanāttvaṃ maheṃdrosi kṣamayā tvamasi kṣamā

Translation

تقيّد الأشرار بالحبل كحاملٍ حقيقيّ للقيود؛ وفي كبح الظالمين أنت يَما. وبقدرتك على إيقاد الشجاعة أنت مَهِندرا، وبعفوك أنت العفو ذاته.

Word by Word

• दुष्टपाशयिता: binder of the wicked
• दुष्टपाशयिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + पाशयितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (दुष्टान् पाशयति इति); Nominative singular (one who binds the wicked)

• पाशी: noose-bearer
• पाशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (one who has a noose)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (Yama)

• नियमने: in restraint/punishment
• नियमने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular (in restraining/punishing)

• असताम्: of the wicked
• असताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of the wicked)

• इंदनात्: from kindling/ignition
• इंदनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular (from kindling/igniting)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (you)

• महेंद्रः: Mahendra (great Indra)
• महेंद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् इन्द्रः); Nominative singular (great Indra)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 2nd sg (you are)

• क्षमया: by forgiveness
• क्षमया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by forgiveness)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (you)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 2nd sg (you are)

• क्षमा: forgiveness
• क्षमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (forgiveness)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic court scene: the ruler holds a noose/rope (pāśa) to restrain a wrongdoer, yet his other hand offers a gesture of forgiveness; behind him Indra’s banner suggests courage, and Yama’s staff suggests justice.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Pāśī (noose-bearer, archetype of restraint)
• Kṣamā (forgiveness)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic leadership requires both danda (restraint of wrongdoers) and kṣamā (forgiveness), held in balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting frames the teaching, though no specific Kāśī tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical instruction through praise.