Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

दनुजा दितिजाः के वै वरा कारणदुर्बलाः । तेषु चोत्कटतां कोपि धत्ते तं प्रणिहन्म्यहम्

Transliteration

danujā ditijāḥ ke vai varā kāraṇadurbalāḥ | teṣu cotkaṭatāṃ kopi dhatte taṃ praṇihanmyaham

Translation

Who, indeed, are the hosts of Dānava and Daitya? By mere boons they seem mighty, yet by nature they are frail. If any among them displays fierce arrogance, I shall strike him down.

Word by Word

• दनुजाः: Danu’s sons (Dānavas)
• दनुजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• दितिजाः: Diti’s sons (Daityas)
• दितिजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दितिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• के: who (what are they)
• के: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• वराः: excellent ones, heroes
• वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• कारणदुर्बलाः: weak in reason/cause (i.e., inherently weak)
• कारणदुर्बलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारण + दुर्बल (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying दनुजाः/दितिजाः/वराः)

• तेषु: among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Locative, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• उत्कटताम्: fierceness, arrogance
• उत्कटताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्कटता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अपि: even, at all
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/at all)

• धत्ते: assumes, holds
• धत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• प्रणिहन्मि: I strike down, I kill
• प्रणिहन्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present, 1st person, Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative, Singular)

Speaker

Same speaker as surrounding verses (martial devotee asserting dominance; exact identity not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vigilant guardian figure surveys ranks of Dānavas/Daityas; their power appears flashy yet brittle, while the guardian’s calm, dharmic force is decisive—ready to strike down any who display arrogant ferocity.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Daitya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power gained by boons without dharma is portrayed as unstable; arrogance invites righteous restraint and downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa setting frames the passage, but the verse itself addresses asuric pride rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.