Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

अभयं ये प्रयच्छंति भयार्तोद्यत पाणयः । निर्भया वारुणे लोके ते वसंति लसंति च

Transliteration

abhayaṃ ye prayacchaṃti bhayārtodyata pāṇayaḥ | nirbhayā vāruṇe loke te vasaṃti lasaṃti ca

Translation

Diejenigen, die Furchtlosigkeit schenken, indem sie den Erschrockenen und Bedrängten die Hand reichen, wohnen ohne Angst in Varuṇas Welt und leuchten dort in Ehren.

Word by Word

• अभयम्: fearlessness/safety
• अभयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• प्रयच्छन्ति: give/bestow
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• भयार्त: distressed by fear
• भयार्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—भयेन आर्तः (तत्पुरुषः)

• उद्यत: raised/uplifted
• उद्यत: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-यम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle used adjectivally), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• पाणयः: hands (i.e., persons with raised hands)
• पाणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• निर्भयाः: fearless
• निर्भयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• वारुणे: of Varuṇa
• वारुणे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (लिङ्गानुसारं ‘लोके’ इति विशेष्ये); विशेषण

• लोके: in the world/realm
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• वसन्ति: dwell/live
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• लसन्ति: shine/are resplendent
• लसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (and)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (ethical fruit statement)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A frightened traveler is threatened; a compassionate protector steps forward, hand extended in reassurance, creating a circle of safety; a subtle divine aura suggests Varuṇa’s realm as the promised fruit.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protecting others from fear (abhaya-dāna) is a supreme charity that yields a fearless, honored state after death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s dharma-teaching context; the verse highlights the fruit of virtue rather than naming a single micro-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhaya-dāna: actively giving protection and reassurance to those afflicted by fear.