Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

विद्वांसमप्यविद्वांसं यतस्ताधर्षयंत्यलम् । स्ववशं वापि कुर्वंति सूत्रबद्धशकुंतवत्

Transliteration

vidvāṃsamapyavidvāṃsaṃ yatastādharṣayaṃtyalam | svavaśaṃ vāpi kurvaṃti sūtrabaddhaśakuṃtavat

Translation

Sebab mereka dapat sangat menundukkan baik yang terpelajar maupun yang tak terpelajar, bahkan menjadikan mereka di bawah kuasa—laksana burung yang terikat oleh seutas tali.

Word by Word

• विद्वांसम्: a learned man
• विद्वांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (even/also)

• अविद्वांसम्: an unlearned man
• अविद्वांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Reason marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (since/because)

• ताः: they (women)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अधर्षयन्ति: they overpower / harass
• अधर्षयन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + हृष्/धृष् (धातु; causative sense)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative/णिजन्त-भाव (they overpower/assail)

• अलम्: completely
• अलम्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पर्याप्त्यर्थक/अत्यर्थक (enough/fully)

• स्ववशम्: under their control
• स्ववशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य वशः) = ‘under one’s control’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (also)

• कुर्वन्ति: they make
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सूत्रबद्धशकुन्तवत्: like a bird tied by a string
• सूत्रबद्धशकुन्तवत्: Sambandha (Simile/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + बद्ध (कृदन्त; बन्ध् धातोः क्त) + शकुन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक ‘वत्’ (like); पूर्वपदसमूहः ‘सूत्रबद्ध-शकुन्त’ = तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय (a bird tied by a string)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegory: a bird struggles mid-flight, tethered by a thin string held by an unseen hand; nearby, a scholar and a commoner both look on, illustrating that bondage can seize anyone.

Characters & Entities

• Vidvān
• Avidvān

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment can bind even the intelligent; liberation-minded discipline requires guarding the senses and the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī dharma-teaching context, emphasizing purity of life in the sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it uses a metaphor to reinforce the ethical discipline expected in brahmacarya.