Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

अभयं ये प्रयच्छंति भयार्तोद्यत पाणयः । निर्भया वारुणे लोके ते वसंति लसंति च

Transliteration

abhayaṃ ye prayacchaṃti bhayārtodyata pāṇayaḥ | nirbhayā vāruṇe loke te vasaṃti lasaṃti ca

Translation

Ceux qui accordent l’intrépidité—tendant la main aux effrayés et aux affligés—demeurent sans crainte dans le monde de Varuṇa, et y brillent d’honneur.

Word by Word

• अभयम्: fearlessness/safety
• अभयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• प्रयच्छन्ति: give/bestow
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• भयार्त: distressed by fear
• भयार्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—भयेन आर्तः (तत्पुरुषः)

• उद्यत: raised/uplifted
• उद्यत: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-यम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle used adjectivally), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• पाणयः: hands (i.e., persons with raised hands)
• पाणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• निर्भयाः: fearless
• निर्भयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• वारुणे: of Varuṇa
• वारुणे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (लिङ्गानुसारं ‘लोके’ इति विशेष्ये); विशेषण

• लोके: in the world/realm
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• वसन्ति: dwell/live
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• लसन्ति: shine/are resplendent
• लसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (and)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (ethical fruit statement)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A frightened traveler is threatened; a compassionate protector steps forward, hand extended in reassurance, creating a circle of safety; a subtle divine aura suggests Varuṇa’s realm as the promised fruit.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protecting others from fear (abhaya-dāna) is a supreme charity that yields a fearless, honored state after death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s dharma-teaching context; the verse highlights the fruit of virtue rather than naming a single micro-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhaya-dāna: actively giving protection and reassurance to those afflicted by fear.