Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

अथ सायं समायातो दानवो भीषणाकृतिः । त्रिशूलं कलयन्पाणौ मृत्योरपि भयावहम्

Transliteration

atha sāyaṃ samāyāto dānavo bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ | triśūlaṃ kalayanpāṇau mṛtyorapi bhayāvaham

Translation

Dann, am Abend, kam der Dānava von schrecklicher Gestalt, in der Hand den Dreizack (Triśūla) haltend—furchtbar selbst für den Tod.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (वाक्योपक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Time (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय/कालवाचक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• समायातः: having arrived/came
• समायातः: Predicate/State (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• भीषणाकृतिः: of terrifying form
• भीषणाकृतिः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण + आकृति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; भीषणा आकृतिः यस्य/भीषण-आकृतिः (कर्मधारय)

• त्रिशूलम्: a trident
• त्रिशूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + शूल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular); त्रयः शूलाः यस्मिन् (द्विगु)

• कलयन्: holding/bearing
• कलयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कल्/कलय् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• पाणौ: in (his) hand
• पाणौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative Singular)

• मृत्योः: of death
• मृत्योः: Relation (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (even/also)

• भयावहम्: bringing fear; terrifying
• भयावहम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + आवह (प्रातिपदिक; आवह from आ-वह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; भयम् आवहति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ)

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda-to-Agastya frame implied for Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dusk, a monstrous dānava enters, silhouette against twilight, gripping a trident that seems to radiate dread; shadows lengthen across the threshold.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Triśūla (trident)
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma can appear overwhelming and terrifying, yet the Purāṇic narrative sets the stage for its eventual restraint by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting; the verse heightens the drama within Kāśī’s dharmic landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the demon’s appearance and weapon.