Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

वटः कांचनशाखाख्यो यस्तपस्तापसंततिम् । दूरीचकार सुच्छायो बहुद्विजसमाश्रयः

Transliteration

vaṭaḥ kāṃcanaśākhākhyo yastapastāpasaṃtatim | dūrīcakāra succhāyo bahudvijasamāśrayaḥ

Translation

Un banian nommé « Aux Branches d’Or », à l’ombre fraîche et refuge de nombreux deux-fois-nés, chassait l’ardeur accablante des austérités des ascètes.

Word by Word

• वटः: banyan tree
• वटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• काञ्चनशाखाख्यः: called ‘golden-branched’
• काञ्चनशाखाख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन + शाखा + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (काञ्चनशाखा-आख्य = named 'golden-branched')

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचकः (relative pronoun)

• तपः: of austerity
• तपः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• तापसंततिम्: the succession/line of ascetics
• तापसंततिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस + संतति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तापसानां संततिः)

• दूरीचकार: drove away/kept at a distance
• दूरीचकार: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूरि (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (to put far away)

• सुच्छायः: having fine shade
• सुच्छायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + छाया (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सु-छाया = good shade)

• बहुद्विजसमाश्रयः: a refuge for many twice-born (birds/Brahmins)
• बहुद्विजसमाश्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + द्विज + समाश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (बहूनां द्विजानां समाश्रयः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāñcana-śākhā Vata (Golden-branched Banyan)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya / sages (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic banyan named ‘Kāñcana-śākhā’ with golden-hued branches spreads a vast cool canopy over rows of ascetics and many brāhmaṇas, easing the heat born of intense tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Vaṭa (banyan)
• Kāñcanaśākhā (Golden-branched banyan)
• Dvijas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred landscapes include supportive presences—trees and groves that serve dharma by sheltering seekers and sustaining tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred banyan in the Kāśī setting, named Kāñcanaśākhā, within the Ānandavana atmosphere of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse praises association with a sanctified tree that supports ascetic practice.