Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

इति तिष्ठति पिंगाक्षे साटवी नगरायिता । अध्वनीने ऽध्वगान्कोपि न रुणद्धि ससाध्वसः

Transliteration

iti tiṣṭhati piṃgākṣe sāṭavī nagarāyitā | adhvanīne 'dhvagānkopi na ruṇaddhi sasādhvasaḥ

Translation

Thus, O Piṅgākṣa, that forest became as a city. On that highway no one hindered the travelers, nor did anyone remain in fear.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative)

• tiṣṭhati: stands/remains
• tiṣṭhati: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• piṃgākṣe: in/at Piṅgākṣa (the tawny-eyed one)
• piṃgākṣe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṃga + akṣi (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (piṃge akṣiṇī yasya saḥ)

• sā: that (she/it)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• aṭavī: forest
• aṭavī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṭavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• nagarāyitā: made like a city
• nagarāyitā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) from denominative √nagarāy (नागरायति), स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• adhvanīne: on the road
• adhvanīne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvanīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'अध्वनि' इत्यर्थे (on the road)

• adhvagān: travellers
• adhvagān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• kaḥ: who/anyone
• kaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रश्नार्थकः

• api: even/at all
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-अव्यय (even/also; here: 'anyone at all')

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ruṇaddhi: blocks/stops
• ruṇaddhi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rudh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• sa-sādhvasaḥ: with fear/afraid
• sa-sādhvasaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + sādhvasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सह-तत्पुरुषः (sādhvasena saha)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āviṃdhyāṭavī (route-kshetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Piṅgākṣa (vocative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A once-dark forest now shows lamps, shelters, and orderly movement like a town; travelers walk unimpeded on a broad road; the atmosphere is calm and fearless.

Characters & Entities

• Piṅgākṣa
• aṭavī (forest)
• adhvan (road)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma protects the vulnerable, even wilderness turns into a ‘city’—a symbol of safety and civilization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī pilgrimage landscape is implied, especially the routes and forests connected to tīrtha-travel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse praises social dharma—ensuring safe passage for pilgrims.