Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

कदाचिज्जटिलो जातः कदाचिच्च दिगंबरः । स कदाचिज्जांगुलिको विषविद्याविशारदः

Transliteration

kadācijjaṭilo jātaḥ kadācicca digaṃbaraḥ | sa kadācijjāṃguliko viṣavidyāviśāradaḥ

Translation

Bisweilen wurde er ein Asket mit verfilzten Haarlocken; bisweilen ein himmelsbekleideter Entsagender, nackt. Mitunter erschien er als Schlangenbeschwörer, kundig in der Lehre von den Giften.

Word by Word

• कदाचित्: at some time
• कदाचित्: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• जटिलः: a matted-haired ascetic
• जटिलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जातः: became
• जातः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कदाचित्: at some time
• कदाचित्: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• दिगम्बरः: a naked ascetic (sky-clad)
• दिगम्बरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = ‘दिशः अम्बरं यस्य’ (naked)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कदाचित्: at some time
• कदाचित्: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• जाङ्गुलिकः: a snake-charmer
• जाङ्गुलिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाङ्गुलिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष-विद्या-विशारदः: skilled in the science of poisons
• विष-विद्या-विशारदः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (जाङ्गुलिक-विशेषण)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ravi cycles through striking forms: a jaṭila with matted locks and kamaṇḍalu; a digambara renunciant with ash-smeared body; and a jāṅgulika snake-charmer holding a serpent, demonstrating poison-lore—while the king remains composed and righteous.

Characters & Entities

• ascetic (jaṭila)
• digaṃbara
• jāṃgulika (snake-charmer)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer marks of renunciation or occult skill do not guarantee inner purity; dharma looks to conduct and truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where varied sects and appearances are encountered and tested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it catalogues disguises rather than prescribing sādhana.