Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

निरुध्य ब्राध्नमध्वानं कृतकृत्य इवाद्रिराट् । स्वस्थोऽभवद्भवाधीना प्राणिनां हि भविष्यता

Transliteration

nirudhya brādhnamadhvānaṃ kṛtakṛtya ivādrirāṭ | svastho'bhavadbhavādhīnā prāṇināṃ hi bhaviṣyatā

Translation

സൂര്യന്റെ പാത തടഞ്ഞ് പർവതരാജൻ കൃതകൃത്യനായതുപോലെ തൃപ്തനായി നിന്നു; എന്നാൽ ജീവികളുടെ ഭാവി യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഭവൻ (ശിവൻ) അധീനമാണ്.

Word by Word

• निरुध्य: having blocked
• निरुध्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + रुध् (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund) — ‘having obstructed/stopped’

• ब्राध्नम्: vast / great
• ब्राध्नम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राध्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण (अध्वानम्)

• अध्वानम्: path / course
• अध्वानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृतकृत्यः: having accomplished his task
• कृतकृत्यः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु-क्त) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः: कृतं कृत्यम् यस्य (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थ) — ‘one whose duty is done’

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamana-marker (Simile/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा) — Simile particle

• अद्रिराट्: the king of mountains
• अद्रिराट्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + राज्/राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः: अद्रीणां राट् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्वस्थः: at ease / content
• स्वस्थः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Past (imperfect), 3rd person, Singular

• भव: future
• भव: Compound-member
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद) — compound member ‘future/coming into being’

• अधीनाः: dependent on the future
• अधीनाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; समासः: भवस्य अधीनाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (हेतौ/अवधारणे) — Particle ‘indeed/for’

• भविष्यताम्: of future happenings
• भविष्यताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भविष्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भू + शतृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (समूह/अभिधान), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Genitive Plural; ‘of future (events/conditions)’

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa often Skanda’s discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vindhya (episode locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vindhya stands swollen and triumphant, casting a shadow that interrupts the Sun’s course; below, beings suffer dimness; above, an unseen Śiva-principle is suggested by a liṅga-like radiance or cosmic aura indicating ultimate control.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Ādrirāṭ (king of mountains)
• Sūrya (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ego mistakes disruption for achievement; true order and the destiny of beings rest under Bhava (Śiva), not personal pride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s larger sacred narrative that culminates in Kāśī’s glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly.