Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तदा युप्यस्यशेषेण पिंगाक्षो मृगयां गतः । तस्मिन्नरण्ये तन्मार्गं निकषाध्युषितो निशि

Transliteration

tadā yupyasyaśeṣeṇa piṃgākṣo mṛgayāṃ gataḥ | tasminnaraṇye tanmārgaṃ nikaṣādhyuṣito niśi

Translation

ಆಗ ಪಿಂಗಾಕ್ಷನು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಉಳಿದಿದ್ದ ಸಾಮಗ್ರಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಬೇಟೆಗೆ ಹೋದನು. ಆ ಅರಣ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ಮಾರ್ಗವು ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹತ್ತಿರದಿಂದ ಕಾವಲಿಟ್ಟು ಆಕ್ರಮಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿತ್ತು.

Word by Word

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• yupyasya-śeṣeṇa: completely/entirely
• yupyasya-śeṣeṇa: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yupya (प्रातिपदिक) + aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम् (instrumental used adverbially): 'अशेषेण' = completely

• piṃgākṣaḥ: Piṅgākṣa
• piṃgākṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṃga + akṣi (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (piṃge akṣiṇī yasya saḥ)

• mṛgayām: hunting
• mṛgayām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛgayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• gataḥ: gone
• gataḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• araṇye: in the forest
• araṇye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• tat-mārgam: that path
• tat-mārgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya mārgaḥ)

• nikaṣa-adhyuṣitaḥ: dwelling near (it)
• nikaṣa-adhyuṣitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikaṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhi + vas (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) from adhi+vas (अध्युषित), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (nikaṣe adhyuṣitaḥ = dwelling near)

• niśi: at night
• niśi: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā/niś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āviṃdhyāṭavī route-zone (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Piṅgākṣa, with minimal remaining provisions, moves into the forest for hunting; elsewhere the road is watched at night by a hidden figure; moonlight filters through trees, creating suspense.

Characters & Entities

• Piṅgākṣa
• araṇya (forest)
• mārga (route)
• lubdhaka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in a dharmic landscape, vigilance is needed; adharma can arise through greed and opportunism.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī sacred region’s travel routes and forests form the backdrop; the narrative reinforces the value of safe pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it advances the story setting (night occupation of the route).