Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

दीर्घव्रता दीर्घदृष्टिर्दीप्ततोया दुरालभा । दंडयित्री दंडनीतिर्दुष्टदंडधरार्चिता

Transliteration

dīrghavratā dīrghadṛṣṭirdīptatoyā durālabhā | daṃḍayitrī daṃḍanītirduṣṭadaṃḍadharārcitā

Translation

Steadfast in long vows and far-seeing in wisdom; her waters shine with sanctity, and she is difficult to attain. She is the chastiser and the very principle of righteous punishment, revered even by those who wield the rod against the wicked.

Word by Word

• दीर्घव्रता: of long vows/observances
• दीर्घव्रता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (दीर्घं व्रतं यस्याः)

• दीर्घदृष्टिः: far-sighted
• दीर्घदृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (दीर्घा दृष्टिः = far-seeing)

• दीप्ततोया: with shining waters
• दीप्ततोया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त/PPP) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (दीप्तं तोयं यस्याः)

• दुरालभा: hard to obtain
• दुरालभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययार्थ) + आलभ्य/लभ् (धातु) → अलभ (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दुर्’ उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण (hard to obtain)

• दंडयित्री: punisher
• दंडयित्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डयितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √दण्ड्/दण्डय् caus. from दण्ड ‘to punish’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृन्/तृच् प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• दंडनीतिः: discipline/penal policy
• दंडनीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दण्डस्य नीति: policy of punishment)

• दुष्टदंडधरार्चिता: worshipped by punishers of the wicked
• दुष्टदंडधरार्चिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चित (कृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त ‘अर्चित’; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दुष्टदण्डधरैः अर्चिता = worshipped by bearers of punishment for the wicked / by punishers of the wicked)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇa audience (ṛṣi-sabhā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā as luminous water-goddess holding a staff-like emblem of nīti; on the ghāṭa, ascetics in long vows and a righteous king/judge paying homage, symbolizing daṇḍa aligned with dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes both compassion and disciplined restraint—right order is upheld through vows and righteous correction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The praise is embedded in Kāśī-māhātmya’s devotional setting, aligning the Goddess’s qualities with the sanctity of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights vrata (religious vows) as a virtue but does not name a specific observance.