Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

अभ्यधावच्च वेगेन गृहीत्वा शूलमुज्ज्वलम् । यावज्जिघांसति हरिं तावदाकाशवाचया

Transliteration

abhyadhāvacca vegena gṛhītvā śūlamujjvalam | yāvajjighāṃsati hariṃ tāvadākāśavācayā

Translation

He rushed forward with speed, taking up a blazing trident. And just as he was about to strike down Hari, a voice from the sky intervened—

Word by Word

• अभि-अधावत्: ran towards
• अभि-अधावत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु) + अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/इम्परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (absolutive/gerund)

• शूलम्: trident/spear
• शूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उज्ज्वलम्: bright, blazing
• उज्ज्वलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शूलस्य)

• यावत्: as long as / until
• यावत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत्-सम्बन्धे (correlative)

• जिघांसति: wishes to kill
• जिघांसति: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) (desiderative: जिघांस्)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; सन्नन्त (desiderative) रूपम्

• हरिम्: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तावत्: so long / then
• तावत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत्-सम्बन्धे (correlative)

• आकाश-वाचया: by a voice from the sky
• आकाश-वाचया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच्/वाचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आकाशस्य वाचा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages in the frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Gaṇa-lord lunges forward gripping a blazing trident; at the very instant before striking Hari, an unseen celestial voice halts the action, freezing the scene in suspense.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Śūla (trident)
• Ākāśavāc (heavenly voice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even at the brink of violence, divine governance intervenes—dharma restrains excess and redirects events.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, as the sacred stage where heavenly ordinance (ākāśavāṇī) guides outcomes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative turning point.