Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

धत्तूरकरवीरादि बहुधोपविषाणि च । क्रीडाकलहमात्रेण भक्षयच्चैष दुर्मतिः

Transliteration

dhattūrakaravīrādi bahudhopaviṣāṇi ca | krīḍākalahamātreṇa bhakṣayaccaiṣa durmatiḥ

Translation

Cet homme à l’esprit pervers allait jusqu’à avaler maints poisons légers—tels le dhattūra et le karavīra—pour de simples jeux d’enfant et querelles.

Word by Word

• धत्तूरकरवीरादि: dattūra, oleander, and the like
• धत्तूरकरवीरादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धत्तूर + करवीर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—धत्तूर-करवीर-आदि (आदिशब्देन समाहारः)

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• उपविषाणि: secondary poisons / poisonous substances
• उपविषाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपविष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• क्रीडाकलहमात्रेण: by mere play/quarrel
• क्रीडाकलहमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा + कलह + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—क्रीडा-कलह-मात्र (मात्र-शब्देन ‘केवलम्’)

• भक्षयत्: eats / devours
• भक्षयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमा-पुरुष, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले ‘भक्षयति’ इत्यर्थे (sandhi/metrical form)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एष: this (man)
• एष: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुर्मतिः: evil-minded one
• दुर्मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reckless man, driven by petty quarrels, consumes poisonous plants (dhattūra, karavīra) in a grim moral tableau; in the background, the sacred aura of Kāśī contrasts with his folly.

Characters & Entities

• dhattūra
• karavīra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It condemns reckless, self-destructive behavior driven by petty impulses, showing how adharma degrades discernment (mati).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this verse; it remains within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s larger Kāśī framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse narrates harmful conduct.