Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तस्या दर्शनमात्रेण परिक्षुब्धं मुनेर्मनः । चस्कंद स मुनिस्तूर्णं साथ भीता वराप्सराः

Transliteration

tasyā darśanamātreṇa parikṣubdhaṃ munermanaḥ | caskaṃda sa munistūrṇaṃ sātha bhītā varāpsarāḥ

Translation

Schon bei ihrem Anblick geriet der Geist des Weisen in Aufruhr. Der Muni verlor rasch seine Fassung, und auch jene erlesene Apsaras wurde von Furcht ergriffen.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• दर्शनमात्रेण: by mere sight
• दर्शनमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); 'दर्शन-मात्र' इति तत्पुरुषः (mere seeing)

• परिक्षुब्धम्: agitated
• परिक्षुब्धम्: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु) → क्षुब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + परि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); अत्र 'मनः' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चस्कन्द: leapt/stirred
• चस्कन्द: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्कन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; अर्थः 'उत्पपात/अचचाल' (leapt/stirred)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); 'सः' इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• भीता: frightened
• भीता: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) → भीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); 'सा' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वराप्सराः: the excellent apsaras
• वराप्सराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरा (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); कर्मधारयः—'वरा अप्सरा' (excellent apsaras)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-group (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage’s eyes open; his posture shifts as composure breaks. Śuci recoils slightly, hands raised in apprehension, sensing the danger of a tapasvin’s śāpa.

Characters & Entities

• Vedaśiras
• Śuci (apsaras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a disciplined mind can be shaken; vigilance (saṃyama) is essential, and lapses become turning points in sacred narratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a narrative step within the Pañcanada origin account that ultimately supports the tīrtha’s Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive, illustrating the psychological challenge faced during tapas.