Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

विवस्त्रान्क्षुत्तृषार्तांश्च लग्नपृष्ठोदरत्वचः । अन्यै रुद्रपिशाचैश्च सहसंयोजयत्यपि

Transliteration

vivastrānkṣuttṛṣārtāṃśca lagnapṛṣṭhodaratvacaḥ | anyai rudrapiśācaiśca sahasaṃyojayatyapi

Translation

Nackt, von Hunger und Durst gepeinigt, die Haut an Rücken und Bauch klebend, spannt er sie auch gewaltsam zusammen mit anderen Rudra-Piśācas, grimmigen Geistern.

Word by Word

• विवस्त्रान्: naked, unclothed
• विवस्त्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (तान्/नरान् implied)

• क्षुत्-तृषा-आर्तान्: afflicted by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्-तृषा-आर्तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तृषा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (क्षुत्तृषाभ्याम् आर्ताः); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; ‘afflicted by hunger and thirst’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थकः (conjunction)

• लग्न-पृष्ठ-उदर-त्वचः: with skin clinging to back and belly (emaciated)
• लग्न-पृष्ठ-उदर-त्वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लग्न (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक) + त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः; पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; ‘whose skin is stuck to back and belly’ (emaciated)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (रुद्रपिशाचैः)

• रुद्र-पिशाचैः: by Rudra-ghouls
• रुद्र-पिशाचैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः ‘रुद्राः पिशाचाः’; पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम्; instrumental plural

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

• सह: together/with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सहार्थक-उपपदं (with)

• संयोजयति: joins, yokes, associates
• संयोजयति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; present ‘joins/associates’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; particle

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration, typically to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (via Bhairava-retinue association)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Emaciated naked souls, skin clinging to ribs, bound and yoked together; fierce Rudra-piśācas with wild hair and rudrākṣa garlands drive them onward under Yama’s command.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra-piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sin degrades and binds the soul into suffering; the Purāṇa uses stark imagery to urge dharmic living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Avimukta is the chapter’s sacred horizon, contrasted against the misery of karmic bondage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is descriptive of punitive states.