Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अदंड्यान्दंडयांचक्रे दंड्येष्वासीत्पराङमुखः । सदैव मृगयाशीलः सोऽभून्मृगयु संगतः

Transliteration

adaṃḍyāndaṃḍayāṃcakre daṃḍyeṣvāsītparāṅamukhaḥ | sadaiva mṛgayāśīlaḥ so'bhūnmṛgayu saṃgataḥ

Translation

He punished those who should not be punished, and turned away from punishing the punishable. Ever devoted to hunting, he came to keep company with hunters.

Word by Word

• adaṃḍyān: the unpunishable (persons)
• adaṃḍyān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (नञ्) + daṃḍya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; कर्मपद (those not to be punished)

• daṃḍayām: with punishment/penalty
• daṃḍayām: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃḍayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• cakre: did, inflicted
• cakre: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• daṃḍyeṣu: towards/among those punishable
• daṃḍyeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃḍya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• parāṅmukhaḥ: turned away, indifferent
• parāṅmukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (turned away)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kālādhi karaṇa (Time adverb/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• mṛgayā-śīlaḥ: habitually hunting
• mṛgayā-śīlaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛgayā (प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mṛgayāyāḥ śīlaḥ)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• abhūt: became
• abhūt: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mṛgayuḥ: a hunter
• mṛgayuḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛgayu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• saṃgataḥ: associated (with), joined
• saṃgataḥ: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√gam (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय (having associated)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split scene: on one side, innocent people being punished while guilty escape; on the other, the king in a forest hunt with hunters, surrounded by slain deer—symbolizing moral blindness and violent addiction.

Characters & Entities

• Durdama (implied)
• hunters (mṛgayu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Injustice and bad company destroy kingship: dharma requires discerning punishment, self-control, and righteous associations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse advances a cautionary royal legend within the Kāśī māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes ethical governance—fair justice and avoidance of degrading habits.