Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

सर्वज्ञेन परिज्ञातौ चांचल्याल्लोचनोद्भवात् । कटाक्षिताथ देवेन दुर्गादुर्गारिघातिनी

Transliteration

sarvajñena parijñātau cāṃcalyāllocanodbhavāt | kaṭākṣitātha devena durgādurgārighātinī

Translation

Ils furent aussitôt reconnus par le Seigneur omniscient—à l’instabilité née du mouvement de leurs yeux—et Durgā, qui abat les ennemis de la forteresse du Dharma, posa sur eux son regard.

Word by Word

• सर्वज्ञेन: by the omniscient one
• सर्वज्ञेन: Karana (Instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• परिज्ञातौ: were recognized
• परिज्ञातौ: Karma (in passive; the ones known)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle) from परि+ज्ञा; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्मणि/भावे 'were recognized/known'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• आञ्चल्यात्: from (their) restlessness
• आञ्चल्यात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आञ्चल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगभेद), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• लोचन-उद्भवात्: arising from the eye
• लोचन-उद्भवात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'लोचनात् उद्भवः' (arising from the eye)

• कटाक्षिता: she cast a sidelong glance
• कटाक्षिता: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कटाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle) from √कृ with noun-prefix sense 'कटाक्षं कृतवती/कृता'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Karana (Instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• दुर्गा-दुर्ग-अरिघातिनी: Durgā, slayer of enemies
• दुर्गा-दुर्ग-अरिघातिनी: Karta (Subject/appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अरि (प्रातिपदिक) + घातिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'दुर्गायाः दुर्गस्य च अरिणां घातिनी' (slayer of enemies of Durgā and of the fort/difficulty)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Devī’s protective sphere)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The all-knowing Lord detects the intruders by their flickering eyes; Durgā, destroyer of the enemies of dharma’s fortress, turns and fixes them with a decisive glance.

Characters & Entities

• Sarvajña Deva (all-knowing Lord, implied Śiva)
• Durgā
• Vidala
• Utpala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nothing is hidden from the divine: inner agitation reveals itself, and Devī’s protective glance restores dharma by exposing and ending deceit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Mahātmya is reinforced as a space under Śiva’s omniscience and Durgā’s guardianship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes recognition of evil and the Goddess’s decisive response.