Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

नानाविधानि यंत्राणि नानायुधविधानकम् । जलाशयानां रचनाः सुदुर्गरचनास्तथा

Transliteration

nānāvidhāni yaṃtrāṇi nānāyudhavidhānakam | jalāśayānāṃ racanāḥ sudurgaracanāstathā

Translation

Du wirst wissen, wie man vielerlei Maschinen entwirft und Waffen in unterschiedlichen Formen herstellt; wie man Wasserbecken und Wasserwerke baut und ebenso starke, schwer einnehmbare Befestigungen errichtet.

Word by Word

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (various)

• विधानि: kinds/types
• विधानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (various kinds)

• यन्त्राणि: machines, devices
• यन्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• आयुधविधानकम्: the making/arrangement of weapons
• आयुधविधानकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध + विधानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आयुधानां विधानकम्—weapon-making/arrangement)

• जलाशयानाम्: of reservoirs/water-bodies
• जलाशयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य आशयाः)

• रचनाः: constructions, designs
• रचनाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सुदुर्गरचनाः: very strong/impregnable constructions
• सुदुर्गरचनाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + दुर्ग + रचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुदुर्गाः रचनाः—very strong/impregnable constructions)

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and likewise)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary catalogue of technical skills: yantras, diverse weapons, reservoirs, and formidable forts—seen as dharmic engineering for a sacred city.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Technical knowledge—when guided by dharma—supports social welfare (waterworks) and protection, becoming a righteous form of action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching holy setting; the verse aligns worldly skills with sacred-city life and its needs.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; the verse highlights constructive works (especially water-reservoirs) as dharmically valuable.