Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

दनुजा दितिजाः के वै वरा कारणदुर्बलाः । तेषु चोत्कटतां कोपि धत्ते तं प्रणिहन्म्यहम्

Transliteration

danujā ditijāḥ ke vai varā kāraṇadurbalāḥ | teṣu cotkaṭatāṃ kopi dhatte taṃ praṇihanmyaham

Translation

ダーナヴァとダイティヤの軍勢とは、いったい何者か。彼らは授かった恩寵のゆえに強く見えるが、本性は脆い。もしその中に猛き驕りを示す者あらば、我はこれを討ち滅ぼす。

Word by Word

• दनुजाः: Danu’s sons (Dānavas)
• दनुजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• दितिजाः: Diti’s sons (Daityas)
• दितिजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दितिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• के: who (what are they)
• के: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• वराः: excellent ones, heroes
• वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• कारणदुर्बलाः: weak in reason/cause (i.e., inherently weak)
• कारणदुर्बलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारण + दुर्बल (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying दनुजाः/दितिजाः/वराः)

• तेषु: among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Locative, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• उत्कटताम्: fierceness, arrogance
• उत्कटताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्कटता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अपि: even, at all
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/at all)

• धत्ते: assumes, holds
• धत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• प्रणिहन्मि: I strike down, I kill
• प्रणिहन्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present, 1st person, Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative, Singular)

Speaker

Same speaker as surrounding verses (martial devotee asserting dominance; exact identity not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vigilant guardian figure surveys ranks of Dānavas/Daityas; their power appears flashy yet brittle, while the guardian’s calm, dharmic force is decisive—ready to strike down any who display arrogant ferocity.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Daitya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power gained by boons without dharma is portrayed as unstable; arrogance invites righteous restraint and downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa setting frames the passage, but the verse itself addresses asuric pride rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.