Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तत्क्ष्वेडानल धूमौघैः फूत्कारभरनिःसृतैः । मातृवाक्कृतिजाद्धर्मान्न दग्धा भानुभानुभिः

Transliteration

tatkṣveḍānala dhūmaughaiḥ phūtkārabharaniḥsṛtaiḥ | mātṛvākkṛtijāddharmānna dagdhā bhānubhānubhiḥ

Translation

De leur feu sifflant s’élevèrent des flots de fumée, chassés par de puissants souffles ; pourtant, grâce au dharma né de la parole maternelle, ils ne furent pas brûlés, pas même par les rayons éclatants du Soleil.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Determiner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी/प्रथमा? (contextual; here as पूर्वपद in समास), अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः (as determiner)

• क्ष्वेडानलधूमौघैः: by masses of smoke from the fire of hissing
• क्ष्वेडानलधूमौघैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣveḍa-anala-dhūma-ogha (प्रातिपदिक; क्ष्वेड + अनल + धूम + ओघ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• फूत्कारभरनिःसृतैः: issuing forth with the weight/force of snorts
• फूत्कारभरनिःसृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phūtkāra-bhara-niḥsṛta (प्रातिपदिक; फूत्कार + भर + निःसृत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम् (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying धूमौघैः)

• मातृवाक्कृतिजात्: born from the mother’s speech/command
• मातृवाक्कृतिजात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mātṛ-vāk-kṛti-jāta (प्रातिपदिक; मातृ + वाक् + कृति + जात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying धर्मान्)

• धर्मान्: duties/laws
• धर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (Negation particle)

• दग्धाः: burnt
• दग्धाः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• भानुभानुभिः: by the sun’s rays (lit. suns-upon-suns)
• भानुभानुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu-bhānu (प्रातिपदिक; भानु + भानु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic tableau of hissing fire and thick smoke plumes blasted outward; figures remain unscorched under the fierce sun, suggesting an unseen dharmic shield born from a mother’s command.

Characters & Entities

• mother’s command (mātṛvāk)
• Sun (Bhānu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma rooted in rightful authority (a mother’s binding word) is depicted as a protective force stronger than natural dangers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.