Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

यदि कोपि कृतज्ञो मां हत्वेमं दुष्टदानवम् । मद्दत्तेन त्रिशूलेन नयेद्भद्रं भवेन्नरः

Transliteration

yadi kopi kṛtajño māṃ hatvemaṃ duṣṭadānavam | maddattena triśūlena nayedbhadraṃ bhavennaraḥ

Translation

Wenn irgendein dankbarer Mensch um meinetwillen diesen bösen Dānava mit dem von mir gegebenen Dreizack erschlüge, so würde jener Mann gewiss Wohlergehen und heilsames Glück erlangen.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Clause-link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/सम्भावना-बोधक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• कः: someone (who)
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• कृतज्ञः: grateful
• कृतज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘grateful’

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having slain’

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुष्टदानवम्: this wicked demon
• दुष्टदानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-समास-पूर्वपद (genitive base) ‘my’

• दत्तेन: given (by me)
• दत्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘given’

• त्रिशूलेन: with a trident
• त्रिशूलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नयेत्: should lead/bring
• नयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भद्रम्: good fortune, welfare
• भद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant figure offers a trident to a potential hero, urging him to slay the wicked dānava; the trident glows as a destined instrument of justice.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava (Kaṃkālaketu implied)
• Triśūla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gratitude and righteous protection of others bring auspicious merit; dharma rewards courageous service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the merit-language supports the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader message of dharma and sacred protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it states a dharmic act (slaying a wicked oppressor with the proper means) and its fruit (bhadra).