Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

अनया कवचं कृत्वा मा बिभेतु यमादपि । भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च शाकिनीडाकिनी गणाः

Transliteration

anayā kavacaṃ kṛtvā mā bibhetu yamādapi | bhūtapretapiśācāśca śākinīḍākinī gaṇāḥ

Translation

Having made this hymn one’s protective armor (kavaca), one should not fear even Yama. Ghosts, spirits of the dead, piśācas, and the hordes of śākinīs and ḍākinīs are likewise kept away.

Word by Word

• अनया: by this (hymn)
• अनया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कवचम्: armor; protective charm
• कवचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having made; having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having done)

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (prohibitive particle)

• बिभेतु: let (one) fear
• बिभेतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• यमात्: from Yama (death)
• यमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (also/even)

• भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचाः: bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas
• भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• शाकिनी-डाकिनी: śākinīs and ḍākinīs
• शाकिनी-डाकिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + डाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्/बहुवचनार्थे समाहारः (collective dual/plural sense)

• गणाः: groups; hosts
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

Speaker

Durgā (Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (protective Devī-stotra tradition)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/seekers; the immediate addressee is the practitioner instructed to ‘not fear’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee dons an invisible armor formed by the hymn; Yama’s fear is dissolved, while bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, and śākinī-ḍākinī hosts recoil at the stotra’s sound.

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Yama
• Bhūta
• Preta
• Piśāca
• Śākinī
• Ḍākinī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional protection (kavaca) grounded in faith overcomes fear of death and unseen harms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred frame; the hymn is presented as part of Kāśī’s protective and merit-bestowing religious landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To ‘make’ the stotra a kavaca—i.e., recite/hold it as protective armor for oneself.