Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120
Devanagari script
निजघान महाबाहुः स च प्राणाञ्जहौ क्षणात् । इत्थं कंकालकेतुं स निहत्य सुरकंपनम्
Transliteration
nijaghāna mahābāhuḥ sa ca prāṇāñjahau kṣaṇāt | itthaṃ kaṃkālaketuṃ sa nihatya surakaṃpanam
Translation
The mighty-armed one struck him down, and he gave up his life in an instant. Thus he slew Kaṅkālaketu, the terror that made even the gods tremble.
Word by Word
निजघानslew
निजघान:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु) उपसर्ग-नि + लिट्
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘he struck/killed’
महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one
महाबाहुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Bahuvrīhi ‘one whose arms are great’
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Pronoun ‘he’
चand
च:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’
प्राणान्life-breaths, life
प्राणान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural
जहौgave up
जहौ:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootहा (धातु) लिट्
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘abandoned/gave up’
क्षणात्in an instant
क्षणात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular; ‘in a moment/from a moment’
इत्थम्thus
इत्थम्:
Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइत्थम् (अव्यय)
Formक्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय; adverb ‘thus’
कंकालकेतुम्Kaṅkālaketu
कंकालकेतुम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकंकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; proper name
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘he’
निहत्यhaving killed
निहत्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु) उपसर्ग-नि + त्वा-प्रत्यय (क्त्वान्त)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having slain’
सुरकंपनम्the terror of the gods
सुरकंपनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर (प्रातिपदिक) + कंपन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; epithet ‘one who makes gods tremble’
Speaker
Narrator (contextually Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A mighty-armed hero delivers a final blow; Kaṅkālaketu collapses instantly, while gods and attendants exhale in relief as the terror ends.
Characters & Entities
K
KaṅkālaketuD
DevasFAQs
When dharma is defended decisively, even forces that terrify the gods are overcome.
The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s overarching aim is Kāśī’s greatness; this verse supports it through a dharma-restoring legend.
None.