Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

मार्गशुक्लचतुर्दश्यां कपर्दीश्वर संनिधौ । स्नात्वान्यत्रापि मरणान्न पैशाच्यमवाप्नुयुः

Transliteration

mārgaśuklacaturdaśyāṃ kapardīśvara saṃnidhau | snātvānyatrāpi maraṇānna paiśācyamavāpnuyuḥ

Translation

Having bathed on the bright fourteenth of Mārgaśīrṣa in the presence of Kapardīśvara, even if they die elsewhere, they do not fall into piśāca-affliction.

Word by Word

• मार्ग-शुक्ल-चतुर्दश्याम्: on the 14th lunar day of the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्ग-शुक्ल-चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालवाचक-सप्तमी (locative of time)

• कपर्दीश्वर: O Kapardīśvara (Śiva)
• कपर्दीश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• संनिधौ: in the presence (nearby)
• संनिधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having bathed’

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: also/even)

• मरणात्: from (the consequence of) death / after death
• मरणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादाने (ablative: from/after)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• पैशाच्यम्: state of being a piśāca (ghoulhood)
• पैशाच्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशाच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अवाप्नुयुः: would attain
• अवाप्नुयुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapardīśvara-sannidhi (linked to Piśācamocana tradition in this narrative arc)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (implied by subsequent verse address ‘ghaṭodbhava’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dawn on the Gaṅgā in Kāśī; pilgrims bathe on śukla-caturdaśī, then approach Kapardīśvara’s shrine with folded hands; a subtle aura of protection dispels shadowy piśāca forms at the margins.

Characters & Entities

• Kapardīśvara (Śiva)
• Mārgaśīrṣa
• Śukla Caturdaśī
• Piśācamocana Tīrtha
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A properly timed tīrtha-rite anchored in Śiva’s presence grants enduring protection beyond place and circumstance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapardīśvara’s vicinity at/near Piśācamocana Tīrtha in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing on Mārgaśīrṣa bright Caturdaśī at Kapardīśvara’s presence for freedom from paiśācya even after death elsewhere.