Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

शृंगाग्राणि गिरीणां च कैश्चिदुत्पाटितानि वै । आचूडमूलाः कैश्चिच्च विधता वै शिलोच्चयाः

Transliteration

śṛṃgāgrāṇi girīṇāṃ ca kaiścidutpāṭitāni vai | ācūḍamūlāḥ kaiścicca vidhatā vai śiloccayāḥ

Translation

By some, the very peaks and summits of mountains were torn up. By others, rocky masses were lifted—held from their roots up to their tops.

Word by Word

• शृङ्गाग्राणि: the tips of peaks
• शृङ्गाग्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म) (उत्पाटितानि इति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शृङ्गस्य अग्राणि’ = mountain-peak tips

• गिरीणाम्: of mountains
• गिरीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कैश्चित्: by some (people)
• कैश्चित्: Karana/Karta (Agent-instrumental/कर्ता-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• उत्पाटितानि: uprooted, torn out
• उत्पाटितानि: Kriya (Predicate-participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + पट्/पाट् (धातु) → उत्पाटित (क्त/PPP)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘शृङ्गाग्राणि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Prayojaka (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• आचूडमूलाः: from top to root (entirely)
• आचूडमूलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + चूड (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः—‘चूडापर्यन्तं मूलपर्यन्तं’/‘चूडात् मूलपर्यन्तम्’ = from topknot to root, entirely; ‘शिलोच्चयाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कैश्चित्: by some
• कैश्चित्: Karana/Karta (Agent-instrumental/कर्ता-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• विधताः: set up, arranged
• विधताः: Kriya (Predicate-participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित/विधत (क्त/PPP)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘शिलोच्चयाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; अर्थः—‘स्थापिताः/रचिताः’ (set up/arranged)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Prayojaka (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय

• शिलोच्चयाः: heaps of stones
• शिलोच्चयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (विधताः इति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शिलानाम् उच्चयाः’ = heaps/piles of rocks

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda to Agastya, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṇas wrench mountain peaks and lift entire rocky masses from root to summit, hurling them toward a ritual ground; dust clouds and fractured stone fill the air, while the sacred city watches in stunned silence.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Mountains

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma is not merely argued against; it is overturned by the irresistible force of divine justice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the verse is part of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.