Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दितिजान्दनुजान्दुष्टान्कच्चिच्छासि रणांगणे । अपि कुद्धान्महीदेवान्मामिव प्रतिमन्यसे

Transliteration

ditijāndanujānduṣṭānkaccicchāsi raṇāṃgaṇe | api kuddhānmahīdevānmāmiva pratimanyase

Translation

Châties-tu encore, sur le champ de bataille, les ennemis pervers nés de Diti et de Danu ? Et considères-tu toujours les souverains de la terre, en courroux, comme tu me considérerais—comme des adversaires à contenir ?

Word by Word

• दितिजान्: Diti’s sons (Daityas)
• दितिजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दितिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• दनुजान्: Danu’s sons (Dānavas)
• दनुजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• दुष्टान्: wicked
• दुष्टान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (दितिजान्/दनुजान्)

• कच्चित्: surely? I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-नूनार्थक

• छासि: you strike down
• छासि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘छासि’ = (you) cut down/strike/kill

• रणाङ्गणे: on the battlefield
• रणाङ्गणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण + अङ्गण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘रणस्य अङ्गणम्’ (battlefield)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपेक्षा (also/even)

• कुद्धान्: angered
• कुद्धान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (महीदेवान्)

• महीदेवान्: kings
• महीदेवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + देव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मही-देव’ = kings (gods of the earth)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Upamana/Anukarana (Comparand in simile/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (Simile particle/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (like/as)

• प्रतिमन्यसे: you consider/regard (as an opponent)
• प्रतिमन्यसे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Śiva (Śambhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śambhu’s words evoke a battlefield tableau: Hari confronting Diti- and Danu-born foes; simultaneously, a symbolic scene of Hari curbing arrogant earthly rulers, maintaining balance.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas (Diti-born)
• Dānavas (Danu-born)
• Mahīdevas (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires restraint of adharma—both demonic forces and unjust rulers must be checked to protect the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered frame, but it does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse concerns righteous governance and the subduing of wickedness.