Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

श्ववाहना रक्तमुखा महादंष्ट्रा महाभुजाः । नग्ना विमुक्तकेशाश्च प्रमत्ता रुधिरासवैः

Transliteration

śvavāhanā raktamukhā mahādaṃṣṭrā mahābhujāḥ | nagnā vimuktakeśāśca pramattā rudhirāsavaiḥ

Translation

Sie reiten auf Hunden, sind rotgesichtig, mit gewaltigen Hauern und mächtigen Armen; nackt, mit gelöstem Haar, berauscht von Blut und Rauschtrank.

Word by Word

• श्ववाहनाः: having dogs as mounts
• श्ववाहनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्व-वहन (प्रातिपदिक; श्वन् + वाहन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्वानां वाहनं येषाम्)

• रक्तमुखाः: red-faced/blood-mouthed
• रक्तमुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; रक्त + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (रक्तं मुखं येषाम्)

• महादंष्ट्राः: with huge fangs
• महादंष्ट्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दंष्ट्रा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती दंष्ट्रा येषाम्)

• महाभुजाः: with mighty arms
• महाभुजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-भुज (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भुज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तो भुजाः येषाम्)

• नग्नाः: naked
• नग्नाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• विमुक्तकेशाः: with loose/unbound hair
• विमुक्तकेशाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-मुक्त-केश (प्रातिपदिक; वि + मुक्त + केश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (विमुक्ताः केशाः येषाम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• प्रमत्ताः: maddened
• प्रमत्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-मद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोगः (intoxicated/maddened)

• रुधिरासवैः: by blood-liquors/with blood-intoxicants
• रुधिरासवैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर-आसव (प्रातिपदिक; रुधिर + आसव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रुधिरस्य आसवैः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night procession of fierce attendants: dog-mounted figures with red faces, huge fangs, mighty arms; naked, hair unbound, eyes wild—yet positioned as guardians rather than attackers, forming a moving perimeter around sacred Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Vetāla (context)
• Kāśī
• Bhairava (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s holiness is defended by awe-inspiring guardians, symbolizing the removal of fear and obstacles for the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), depicted as a heavily protected liberation-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, not prescriptive.