Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

धिग्धिगेतदधिकर्द्धि चेष्टितं चंक्रमेक्षणविलक्षितं यतः । वीक्षते क्षणमचारुचक्षुषा घातितेन विपदःपदेन च

Transliteration

dhigdhigetadadhikarddhi ceṣṭitaṃ caṃkramekṣaṇavilakṣitaṃ yataḥ | vīkṣate kṣaṇamacārucakṣuṣā ghātitena vipadaḥpadena ca

Translation

ধিক্ ধিক্ এই অতিধনৰ অস্থিৰ সাধনাক—ইফালে-সিফালে ঘূৰি ফুৰা আৰু চাৱনি দিয়া এই বিচিত্ৰ আচৰণক। কিয়নো অসুন্দৰ, অসংযত চকুৰ এক মুহূৰ্তৰ দৃষ্টিও, আৰু বিপদ-পথত দিয়া এক পদক্ষেপো, মানুহক দুৰ্ভাগ্যত পেলাই দিয়ে।

Word by Word

• धिग्: fie!
• धिग्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिग् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-अव्यय (particle of censure)

• धिग्: fie again!
• धिग्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिग् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-अव्यय (repetition for emphasis)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.)

• अधिक-ऋद्धि: excessive prosperity
• अधिक-ऋद्धि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (F., Nom./Acc., Sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (excess + prosperity)

• चेष्टितम्: deed, conduct
• चेष्टितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √चेष्ट् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neut., Nom./Acc., Sg.); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used as noun: 'act/deed')

• चंक्रम-ईक्षण-विलक्षितम्: distinguished by restless glances/roaming looks
• चंक्रम-ईक्षण-विलक्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चंक्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + विलक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लक्ष् + वि + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neut., Nom./Acc., Sg.); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (marked by roaming/glancing)

• यतः: because, from which
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ-अव्यय (causal indeclinable: 'because/from which')

• वीक्षते: he/she looks
• वीक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd sg., Ātmanepada)

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Acc., Sg.); कालवाचक (time-accusative)

• अचारु-चक्षुषा: with an unlovely eye
• अचारु-चक्षुषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचारु (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Neut., Instr., Sg.); कर्मधारयः ('not-beautiful' + 'eye')

• घातितेन: by one who has been struck/afflicted
• घातितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घातित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हन्/घात् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instr., Sg.); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (causative PPP: 'made to strike/kill')

• विपदः-पदेन: by the step/place of calamity
• विपदः-पदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपद् (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Neut., Instr., Sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('of calamity' + 'foot/step/place')

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī-khaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral tableau: a traveler with darting eyes and hurried steps approaches a broken, thorny path; shadows of wealth and distractions lure him, while a calm ascetic points toward a steady, lamp-lit path leading to a Śiva-liṅga cityscape of Kāśī.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Uncontrolled striving and undisciplined sense-gazing lead to downfall; steadiness and restraint protect dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader glorification of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), though this line itself is a general moral warning.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the emphasis is ethical restraint (indriya-nigraha) as a dhārmic discipline.