Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

दुर्गस्थो नाभिभूयेत विपक्षः केनचित्क्वचित् । स्वतंत्रं यदि दुर्गं स्यादमर्मज्ञप्रकाशितम्

Transliteration

durgastho nābhibhūyeta vipakṣaḥ kenacitkvacit | svataṃtraṃ yadi durgaṃ syādamarmajñaprakāśitam

Translation

「城塞に拠る者は、いかなる時いかなる所においても敵に屈しない——ただし砦が自立しており、要害が秘事を知らぬ者によって露わにされぬならば。」

Word by Word

• दुर्गस्थः: one stationed in a fort
• दुर्गस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (दुर्गे स्थितः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अभिभूयेत: would be overcome
• अभिभूयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• विपक्षः: the enemy/opponent
• विपक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• केनचित्: by anyone
• केनचित्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चित (indefinite)

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/काल-अव्यय (adverb: somewhere/ever)

• स्वतंत्रम्: independent/self-sufficient
• स्वतंत्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) दुर्गम्

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction: if)

• दुर्गम्: a fort
• दुर्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• अमर्मज्ञप्रकाशितम्: revealed by one who does not know the vital points
• अमर्मज्ञप्रकाशितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + मर्मज्ञ + प्रकाशित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) √काश् (काशते/प्रकाशयति) with उपसर्ग प्र; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अमर्मज्ञेन प्रकाशितम् = revealed by one ignorant of weak points)

Speaker

Skanda (narrative maxim)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fortified citadel shown with hidden gates and guarded bastions; a wise guardian prevents a careless messenger from revealing secret passages; the allegory hints at inner discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Durga (fortress/refuge)
• Vipakṣa (enemy)
• Marma (vital point/weakness)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection is preserved by disciplined guardianship; revealing sacred vulnerabilities undermines refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī-kṣetra, the teaching supports the idea of an inviolable sacred domain when properly guarded and honored.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it conveys a dharmic-strategic principle applicable to both worldly and sacred protection.