Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

रक्षंति सततं क्षेत्रं यत्र पाशासिपाणयः । महापारिषदा उग्राः क्रूरेभ्योऽक्रूरबुद्धयः

Transliteration

rakṣaṃti satataṃ kṣetraṃ yatra pāśāsipāṇayaḥ | mahāpāriṣadā ugrāḥ krūrebhyo'krūrabuddhayaḥ

Translation

Cette terre sainte est gardée sans cesse par de farouches grands serviteurs, tenant lacs et épées : terribles pour les cruels, mais bienveillants dans leur dessein.

Word by Word

• rakṣanti: protect
• rakṣanti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kṣetram: the sacred place
• kṣetram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative locative adverb: where)

• pāśāsipāṇayaḥ: those whose hands hold noose and sword
• pāśāsipāṇayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa + asi + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पाशौ असिश्च पाणौ यस्य ते)

• mahāpāriṣadāḥ: great attendants (of Śiva)
• mahāpāriṣadāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + pāriṣada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तः पारिषदाः)

• ugrāḥ: fierce
• ugrāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• krūrebhyaḥ: from the cruel (ones)
• krūrebhyaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; अपादान

• akrūrabuddhayaḥ: those of non-cruel disposition
• akrūrabuddhayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-krūra + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अक्रूरा बुद्धिर्येषां ते)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta Kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Fierce yet purposeful guardians—great Śiva-attendants—stand at invisible boundaries of Avimukta, holding pāśa (noose) and asi (sword). Their faces are terrifying to wrongdoers, but their posture is protective toward devotees.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Śiva-gaṇas (attendants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is divinely protected: forces aligned with Śiva safeguard the kṣetra and restrain harmful conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Avimukta sacred region of Kāśī as a protected divine territory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; the verse describes kṣetra-rakṣā (divine guardianship) rather than a human-performed rite.