Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्याः शुचेरप्सरसो मुनिः । विवेकसेतुना स्तंभीन्महारोषनदीरयम्

Transliteration

iti śrutvā vacastasyāḥ śucerapsaraso muniḥ | vivekasetunā staṃbhīnmahāroṣanadīrayam

Translation

Hearing those words of Śucī, the apsarā, the sage checked the rushing current of his great anger by building within himself a bridge of discernment.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); श्रु-धातोः; अव्ययभावः; ‘having heard’

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• शुचेः: of Śuci
• शुचेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• अप्सरसः: of the apsaras
• अप्सरसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• विवेकसेतुना: by the bridge of discernment
• विवेकसेतुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेक (प्रातिपदिक) + सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (Instr. sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विवेकस्य सेतुः)

• स्तंभीत्: checked, restrained
• स्तंभीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (3rd sg.); ‘he stopped/checked’

• महाक्रोधनदीरयम्: the torrent/stream of great anger
• महाक्रोधनदीरयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + नदी (प्रातिपदिक) + इरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.); समासः (महाक्रोधस्य नदी + इरयः/प्रवाहः) ‘great-anger river-current’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration; typically Skanda addressing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage, eyes half-closed, stands calm while a dark red river of anger surges; within his chest a luminous bridge labeled ‘viveka’ spans the torrent, turning it still.

Characters & Entities

• Śucī (apsarā)
• Muni (sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even intense anger can be restrained by viveka (discernment), preserving one’s dharma and spiritual power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is ethical instruction within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) framework rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it emphasizes inner discipline—checking anger to protect tapas.