Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

दाता धर्मार्थकामानां शास्ता दुर्नयकारिणाम् । अजेयस्त्वं च संग्रामे ममापि हि भविष्यसि

Transliteration

dātā dharmārthakāmānāṃ śāstā durnayakāriṇām | ajeyastvaṃ ca saṃgrāme mamāpi hi bhaviṣyasi

Translation

Tu es le dispensateur du dharma, de l’artha et du kāma ; tu es le châtieur de ceux qui suivent la mauvaise voie. Inconquérable au combat, tu seras assurément pour moi aussi protecteur et appui.

Word by Word

• दाता: giver
• दाता: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—तृच्/तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्म-अर्थ-कामानाम्: of dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्म-अर्थ-कामानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (धर्मश्च अर्थश्च कामश्च)

• शास्ता: ruler/discipliner
• शास्ता: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—तृच्/तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘नियन्ता/शिक्षक’

• दुर्नय-कारिणाम्: of those who act with bad conduct / wrongdoers
• दुर्नय-कारिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्नय (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—दुर्नयं कुर्वन्ति ये

• अजेयः: unconquerable
• अजेयः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + जेय (प्रातिपदिक; √जि)
• Form: कृदन्त—यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘जेय’ + नञ्-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (अपि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• भविष्यसि: you will be
• भविष्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Maheśa (Śiva) praising Hari (Viṣṇu), as indicated by the surrounding narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The deity as benefactor and guardian: one hand bestows (varada), another assures fearlessness (abhaya). Behind, a subdued scene of a battlefield dissolves into calm, indicating ‘unconquerable in battle’ as spiritual and moral victory; a stern yet compassionate aura suggests chastisement of wrongdoing.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord grants legitimate human aims while restraining unrighteousness; divine power protects devotees and upholds moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-māhātmya narrative, where devotion and divine protection are celebrated as Kāśī’s spiritual promise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it affirms divine governance (śāsana) and the fruits aligned with dharma.