Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अक्लीबवादिनो धीराः संग्रामेष्वपराङ्मुखाः । विक्रांता वीरशयने तेऽत्र तिष्ठंति भूभुजः

Transliteration

aklībavādino dhīrāḥ saṃgrāmeṣvaparāṅmukhāḥ | vikrāṃtā vīraśayane te'tra tiṣṭhaṃti bhūbhujaḥ

Translation

Ici demeurent les rois qui ne profèrent point de paroles de lâche : résolus, ne se détournant jamais du combat ; vaillants, ils reposent sur la couche des héros, morts en héros.

Word by Word

• a-klība-vādinaḥ: speaking bravely (not cowardly)
• a-klība-vādinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-klība (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण) + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—"अक्लीबं वदन्ति ये" (speaking non-cowardly words)

• dhīrāḥ: steadfast, courageous
• dhīrāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• saṃgrāmeṣu: in battles
• saṃgrāmeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• aparāṅ-mukhāḥ: not turning their backs
• aparāṅ-mukhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—"पराङ्मुखः न ये" (not turning away)

• vikrāntāḥ: valiant, mighty
• vikrāntāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√kram (धातु) → vikrānta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अर्थः—valiant/striding forth

• vīra-śayane: on the heroes’ bed (battlefield)
• vīra-śayane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + śayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—"वीराणां शयनम्" (hero’s bed; battlefield/death-bed of heroes)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• tiṣṭhanti: stand, remain
• tiṣṭhanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhū-bhujaḥ: kings
• bhū-bhujaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—"भुवं भुनक्ति/पालयति" (earth-protectors)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual); verse highlights vīra-gati as a recognized merit-state

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of warrior-kings with banners and armor, faces calm and resolute; a symbolic ‘hero’s bed’—a bier or honored resting couch—set within a radiant city, indicating heroic death honored as dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūbhuj (kings)
• Vīra-śayana (hero’s death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For rulers, dharma includes fearless protection—courage and steadfastness are honored as spiritually potent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘here’ continues the description of the Mahendra/Amarāvatī-like sacred city within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it praises kṣātra conduct—non-retreat in battle and heroic death.