Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

इत्थं विवेचयंश्चित्ते कृष्णः क्रोधनदीरयम् । विवेकसेतुनाऽस्तभ्य नारदं प्राहिणोत्सुधीः

Transliteration

itthaṃ vivecayaṃścitte kṛṣṇaḥ krodhanadīrayam | vivekasetunā'stabhya nāradaṃ prāhiṇotsudhīḥ

Translation

So erwog Kṛṣṇa in seinem Innern und hielt den reißenden Strom des Zorns durch die Brücke der Unterscheidung zurück; darauf entsandte der Weise Nārada.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• विवेचयन्: reflecting; considering
• विवेचयन्: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + विच् (धातु) → विवेचयत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चित्ते: in (his) mind
• चित्ते: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रोधनदीरयम्: the torrent of anger
• क्रोधनदीरयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध + नदीरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्रोधस्य नदीरयः = 'the flood/stream of anger')

• विवेकसेतुना: by the dam/bridge of discernment
• विवेकसेतुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेक + सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विवेकस्य सेतुः = 'bridge/dam of discernment')

• अस्तभ्य: having restrained
• अस्तभ्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), 'having restrained/checked'

• नारदम्: Nārada
• नारदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राहिणोत्: sent forth; dispatched
• प्राहिणोत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हि (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुधीः: the wise one
• सुधीः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (context within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; likely Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa in contemplative posture, a turbulent river symbolizing anger before him; a luminous bridge labeled ‘viveka’ spans it; Nārada stands ready to depart on mission.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Anger is mastered by viveka; inner restraint precedes right action and right speech.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa framework, but this verse highlights ethical psychology rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the ‘practice’ implied is mental discipline—checking krodha through discernment.