Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

श्रुतीरितं निशम्येत्थं तावतीव विमोहितौ । स्मित्वाहतुः क्रतु विधीमोहाध्येनांकितौ मुने

Transliteration

śrutīritaṃ niśamyetthaṃ tāvatīva vimohitau | smitvāhatuḥ kratu vidhīmohādhyenāṃkitau mune

Translation

Ayant entendu ainsi les paroles énoncées par les Śrutis, tous deux furent d’autant plus déconcertés. Souriant, ils parlèrent, ô sage, encore marqués par l’illusion au sujet de l’ordre rituel du sacrifice.

Word by Word

• श्रुति-ईरितम्: uttered by the Vedas
• श्रुति-ईरितम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + ईरित (कृदन्त; √ईर्/ईरय् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रुत्या ईरितम् = श्रुतिभिः उक्तम्); भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriya (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शम् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• तावत्: so much/so long (to that extent)
• तावत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; परिमाणवाचक; विशेषण (विमोहितौ)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक निपात (particle of comparison)

• विमोहितौ: bewildered
• विमोहितौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमोहित (कृदन्त; √मुह् धातु + वि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• स्मित्वा: having smiled
• स्मित्वा: Kriya (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्मि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• आहतुः: they said
• आहतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद

• क्रतु: O Kratu
• क्रतु: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• विधी: the two Vidhis (ordinances/creators)
• विधी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• मोहाध्येन: by delusion (as a covering)
• मोहाध्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मोहस्य अध्यः/अध्यायः इव—अत्र ‘मोहाध्य’ = मोह-आधीन/मोह-आवृत इत्यर्थे)

• अङ्कितौ: marked/tainted
• अङ्कितौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्कित (कृदन्त; √अङ्क् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame, traditionally Skanda addressing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (primary listener in frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two figures, having heard the Śrutis, appear more confused; they smile and speak, still bearing the stamp of delusion about sacrificial procedure—an ironic, instructive moment.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Yajña (Kratu)
• Delusion (Moha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after hearing scriptural praise, one can remain confused when attached to outward ritual categories; clarity requires grace and right understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting (Kāśī Māhātmya), but it does not name a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references kratu-vidhi (sacrificial procedure) as the topic of confusion, not as a prescribed practice in this line.