Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

दुर्गस्थो नाभिभूयेत विपक्षः केनचित्क्वचित् । स्वतंत्रं यदि दुर्गं स्यादमर्मज्ञप्रकाशितम्

Transliteration

durgastho nābhibhūyeta vipakṣaḥ kenacitkvacit | svataṃtraṃ yadi durgaṃ syādamarmajñaprakāśitam

Translation

“One who is stationed in a fortress is not overcome by an enemy anywhere at any time—provided the fortress is independent and its vulnerable points are not revealed by one who does not understand its secrets.”

Word by Word

• दुर्गस्थः: one stationed in a fort
• दुर्गस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (दुर्गे स्थितः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अभिभूयेत: would be overcome
• अभिभूयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• विपक्षः: the enemy/opponent
• विपक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• केनचित्: by anyone
• केनचित्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चित (indefinite)

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/काल-अव्यय (adverb: somewhere/ever)

• स्वतंत्रम्: independent/self-sufficient
• स्वतंत्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) दुर्गम्

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction: if)

• दुर्गम्: a fort
• दुर्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• अमर्मज्ञप्रकाशितम्: revealed by one who does not know the vital points
• अमर्मज्ञप्रकाशितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + मर्मज्ञ + प्रकाशित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) √काश् (काशते/प्रकाशयति) with उपसर्ग प्र; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अमर्मज्ञेन प्रकाशितम् = revealed by one ignorant of weak points)

Speaker

Skanda (narrative maxim)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fortified citadel shown with hidden gates and guarded bastions; a wise guardian prevents a careless messenger from revealing secret passages; the allegory hints at inner discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Durga (fortress/refuge)
• Vipakṣa (enemy)
• Marma (vital point/weakness)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection is preserved by disciplined guardianship; revealing sacred vulnerabilities undermines refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī-kṣetra, the teaching supports the idea of an inviolable sacred domain when properly guarded and honored.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it conveys a dharmic-strategic principle applicable to both worldly and sacred protection.