Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा दानवपतिं विद्यामावर्तयत्कविः । एकैकं दैत्यमुद्दिश्य त उत्तस्थुर्धृतायुधाः

Transliteration

ityuktvā dānavapatiṃ vidyāmāvartayatkaviḥ | ekaikaṃ daityamuddiśya ta uttasthurdhṛtāyudhāḥ

Translation

Après avoir ainsi parlé au seigneur des Dānavas, le Kavi (Śukra) mit en œuvre la science sacrée. Désignant chaque Daitya l’un après l’autre, ils se relevèrent, les armes en main.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyasaṃbandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-निपात (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), having said

• दानवपतिम्: the lord of the Dānavas
• दानवपतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विद्याम्: the spell/knowledge
• विद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आवर्तयत्: he recited/caused to turn (repeated)
• आवर्तयत्: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वृत् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कविः: the sage/poet
• कविः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• एकैकम्: each one, one by one
• एकैकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् अर्थे 'one by one'—विशेषणं दैत्यम्

• दैत्यम्: a Daitya (demon)
• दैत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having pointed out/targeted
• उद्दिश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/तुमुन्-समकक्ष (Gerund/Absolutive in -ya), 'having indicated/aimed at'

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

• उत्तस्थुः: they rose up
• उत्तस्थुः: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• धृतायुधाः: with weapons in hand
• धृतायुधाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'whose weapons are held'—विशेषणं ते

Speaker

Skanda (narrator; reporting action)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dānava-pati

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śukra, after addressing the Dānava lord, ‘turns’ (āvartayati) the vidyā; he calls each Daitya by name, and they rise one by one, gripping weapons—orderly resurrection.

Characters & Entities

• Kavi (Śukrācārya)
• Dānavapati
• Daitya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse showcases the potency of correctly applied sacred knowledge and disciplined invocation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī narrative stream.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied mantra-recitation/invocation (vidyām āvartayat), but no detailed rite is specified.