Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अभिरक्षाभितो विप्र प्रसन्नः शरणागतान् । पश्य हुंडं तुहुंडं च कुजंभं जंभमेव च

Transliteration

abhirakṣābhito vipra prasannaḥ śaraṇāgatān | paśya huṃḍaṃ tuhuṃḍaṃ ca kujaṃbhaṃ jaṃbhameva ca

Translation

Protect us on every side, O Brahmin, being gracious to those who have sought refuge. Behold Huṇḍa and Tuhuṇḍa, and Kujaṃbha and Jaṃbha as well.

Word by Word

• अभिरक्ष: O Protector
• अभिरक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिरक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; √रक्ष् (धातु) से नामधातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; (नाम/उपाधि)

• अभितः: all around
• अभितः: Desha (Spatial/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभितः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गार्थ/परितः-वाचक (adverb: on all sides/around)

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रसन्नः: gracious/pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (कृदन्त; प्र + √सद् (धातु) क्त/न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वम्/सः implied)

• शरणागतान्: those who have sought refuge
• शरणागतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक) + आगत (कृदन्त; आ + √गम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शरणं आगताः)

• पश्य: see/behold
• पश्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• हुंडम्: Huṇḍa (name)
• हुंडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुंड (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• तुहुंडम्: Tuhuṇḍa (name)
• तुहुंडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुहुंड (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-सम्बन्धक अव्यय

• कुजंभम्: Kujaṃbha (name)
• कुजंभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुजंभ (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• जंभम्: Jaṃbha (name)
• जंभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंभ (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-सम्बन्धक अव्यय

Speaker

Andhaka (or daitya-side speaker) to Śukra (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ringed battlefield: supplicants cluster around a calm Brahmin protector, pleading for defense on all sides; looming enemy champions—Huṇḍa, Tuhuṇḍa, Kujaṃbha, Jaṃbha—are pointed out in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Śukra
• Huṇḍa
• Tuhuṇḍa
• Kujaṃbha
• Jaṃbha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The motif of śaraṇāgati—appealing for protection—shows how refuge is sought in moments of crisis.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s overall focus is Kāśī; this verse itself lists participants in the narrative rather than a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a plea for protection and a pointing out of allies/warriors.