Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अग्निस्तंभ जलस्तंभ वाक्स्तंभं चाप्यशिक्षयत् । खेचरीत्वं ददौ काचिददृश्यत्वं परा ददौ

Transliteration

agnistaṃbha jalastaṃbha vākstaṃbhaṃ cāpyaśikṣayat | khecarītvaṃ dadau kācidadṛśyatvaṃ parā dadau

Translation

Elle enseignait même l’arrêt du feu, l’arrêt de l’eau, et aussi l’arrêt de la parole. L’une donnait le pouvoir de se mouvoir dans le ciel, et une autre donnait l’invisibilité.

Word by Word

• अग्नि-स्तम्भ: fire-stoppage (fire-paralysis)
• अग्नि-स्तम्भ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (समाहार/सूची); ‘अग्नेः स्तम्भः’ = fire-stoppage

• जल-स्तम्भ: water-stoppage
• जल-स्तम्भ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘जलस्य स्तम्भः’

• वाक्-स्तम्भम्: speech-stoppage
• वाक्-स्तम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘वाचः स्तम्भः’ = speech-stoppage

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—सम्भावना/समुच्चय (also/even)

• अशिक्षयत्: taught
• अशिक्षयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शिक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in context ‘taught’ (शिक्षयति)

• खेचरीत्वम्: the power/state of moving in the sky
• खेचरीत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खेचरी (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक—‘खेचरीत्व’ = state of being a sky-goer

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘gave’

• काचित्: some (woman)
• काचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; किम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अदृश्यत्वम्: invisibility
• अदृश्यत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक; न + दृश्य) + त्व (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक—‘invisibility’

• परा: another (woman)
• परा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame, not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful woman demonstrates stambhana: flames halt mid-air, water stands still, a speaker’s mouth falls silent; another grants khecarī—an adept poised above ground; another cloaks a figure in invisibility, leaving only footprints on ghat steps.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text acknowledges formidable powers, but within Purāṇic dharma such powers are secondary to right conduct and the liberating sanctity associated with Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra broadly; this verse does not specify a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it states that such techniques were taught/bestowed without giving practice details.