Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

अन्ये न दीयमाने स्वे निषेद्धुःपापकारिणः । आच्छेत्तुः परवृत्तीनां जिह्वां छिंध्यस्य दुर्मुख

Transliteration

anye na dīyamāne sve niṣeddhuḥpāpakāriṇaḥ | ācchettuḥ paravṛttīnāṃ jihvāṃ chiṃdhyasya durmukha

Translation

For the sinner who forbids others when they are giving from their own wealth, and for the one who cuts off another’s rightful livelihood, cut out his tongue—O foul-faced one.

Word by Word

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Kriya-pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• दीयमाने: when (it) is being given
• दीयमाने: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि लट्-प्रत्ययार्थे शानच्/मान (Present passive participle): दीयमान; सप्तमी एकवचन (locative absolute)

• स्वे: in one’s own (property)
• स्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘स्वे’ = स्वे (धने/वस्तुनि) in one’s own (property)

• निषेद्धुः: of the preventer/forbidder
• निषेद्धुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि + सिध्/षिध् (धातु) → निषेध (प्रातिपदिक) + तृ (कर्तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘निषेद्धृ’ = one who forbids/prevents

• पापकारिणः: of the evil-doer
• पापकारिणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: पापं करोति इति (evil-doer)

• आच्छेत्तुः: of the cutter-off
• आच्छेत्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + छिद् (धातु) → आच्छेद (प्रातिपदिक) + तृ (कर्तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘आच्छेत्तृ’ = one who cuts off/severs

• परवृत्तीनाम्: of others’ livelihoods
• परवृत्तीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: परस्य वृत्तिः (others’ livelihood/means)

• जिह्वाम्: the tongue
• जिह्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• छिन्धि: cut
• छिन्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• दुर्मुख: O evil-faced one
• दुर्मुख: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः: दुष्टं मुखं यस्य (evil-faced)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa; addressing a naraka-agent/attendant in the narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A foul-faced executioner cuts out the sinner’s tongue—punishment for forbidding others’ giving and for cutting off livelihoods; the tongue symbolizes coercive speech and obstruction.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Blocking charitable giving and sabotaging others’ sustenance violates dharma and is portrayed as a grave moral offense.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred context; this verse itself stresses dharma around dāna and livelihood.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Indirectly, it upholds dāna (charitable giving) by condemning those who prevent it.