Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

अकालविद्युत्स्तनिते वर्षर्तौ पांसुवर्षणे । महावातध्वनौ रात्रावनध्यायाः प्रकीर्तिताः

Transliteration

akālavidyutstanite varṣartau pāṃsuvarṣaṇe | mahāvātadhvanau rātrāvanadhyāyāḥ prakīrtitāḥ

Translation

When there is untimely lightning and thunder, in the rainy season, during showers of dust, and at night amid the roar of great winds—these times are declared periods of anadhyāya, the suspension of Vedic study.

Word by Word

• अकालविद्युत्स्तनिते: at untimely thunder with lightning
• अकालविद्युत्स्तनिते: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तनित (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तन् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (अकाले विद्युतः स्तनितम्)

• वर्षर्तौ: in the rainy season
• वर्षर्तौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वर्षस्य ऋतौ)

• पांसुवर्षणे: during a dust-storm (dust-rain)
• पांसुवर्षणे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांसु (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्षण (प्रातिपदिक; √वृष् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पांसोः वर्षणम्)

• महावातध्वनौ: when there is the sound of a great wind
• महावातध्वनौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महतो वातस्य ध्वनिः)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अनध्यायाः: periods of non-study
• अनध्यायाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तिताः: are declared
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (are proclaimed)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic student in Kāśī closes his manuscript as lightning flashes; wind bends trees; dust swirls over ghats; he turns inward to silent prayer.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied by Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
• Anadhyāya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred study is protected by observing proper times; discipline includes knowing when to pause.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma framework rather than a specific tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It lists anadhyāya conditions—events and times when Vedic study should be suspended.