Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

सूचीभी रोमकूपेषु तनुं व्यधिहि सर्वतः । दातुः परकलत्रांगे नखपंक्ती दुरात्मनः

Transliteration

sūcībhī romakūpeṣu tanuṃ vyadhihi sarvataḥ | dātuḥ parakalatrāṃge nakhapaṃktī durātmanaḥ

Translation

Percez son corps partout, jusque dans les pores de la peau, avec des aiguilles. Sur les membres de cet homme à l'âme vile qui viole la femme d'autrui, plantez des rangées de clous.

Word by Word

• सूचीभिः: with needles
• सूचीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• रोमकूपेषु: in the hair-pores
• रोमकूपेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोम (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्यधि: pierce!
• व्यधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + व्यध्/विध् (धातु: व्यध् ‘to pierce’)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• दातुः: of the giver
• दातुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + तृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-तृन्

• पर-कलत्र-अङ्गे: on the body of another’s wife
• पर-कलत्र-अङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + कलत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नख-पङ्क्तिम्: a row of nails (claw-marks)
• नख-पङ्क्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुरात्मनः: of the wicked-minded (man)
• दुरात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hellish punitive tableau: the offender’s body is pierced as if every hair-pore becomes a site of pain; rows of nails set upon limbs—symbolizing total pervasion of karmic consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Sūcī (needle)
• Nails/spikes (nakha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire that trespasses others’ sanctity becomes a cause of suffering; dharma demands restraint and respect for others’ marriages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting; the verse itself is not a tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse is a deterrent depiction rather than a rite.