Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

बालग्रहाभिभूतानां बालानां शांतिकारकम् । पठनीयं प्रयत्नेन महाख्यानमिदं परम्

Transliteration

bālagrahābhibhūtānāṃ bālānāṃ śāṃtikārakam | paṭhanīyaṃ prayatnena mahākhyānamidaṃ param

Translation

Diese höchste große Erzählung soll mit Eifer rezitiert werden; sie bewirkt Befriedung und Schutz für Kinder, die von Bāla-Grahas heimgesucht sind.

Word by Word

• बालग्रहाभिभूतानाम्: of those overpowered by child-seizure (affliction)
• बालग्रहाभिभूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिभूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: बालग्रहैः अभिभूताः ये (बालग्रह-अभिभूत) तेषाम्

• बालानाम्: of children
• बालानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शान्तिकारकम्: peace-causing/propitiatory
• शान्तिकारकम्: Visheshya-predicate (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शान्तेः कारकम्); विधेय-विशेषणम् (पठनीयं/आख्यानम्)

• पठनीयम्: to be read/should be recited
• पठनीयम्: Kriya (Obligation/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पठ् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थः (should be read)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाख्यानम्: great narrative
• महाख्यानम्: Karma/Vishaya (Topic/object implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद-प्रातिपदिक) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् आख्यानम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महाख्यानम्)

• परम्: supreme/excellent
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (महाख्यानम्)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame) / Agastya contextually

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried family brings an afflicted child; a reciter chants the mahākhyāna, and the child becomes calm as protective light surrounds them; the ‘bāla-graha’ influence is shown fading.

Characters & Entities

• Bāla-graha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred recitation (pāṭha) functions as a dhārmic remedy, restoring peace where affliction and fear arise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred setting; the verse presents the narrative’s merit as part of Kāśī-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Paṭhana/pāṭha (deliberate recitation) of the mahākhyāna as a śānti-prayoga for bāla-graha affliction.