Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

न तत्याज च तद्धर्मं दुर्बोधो व्यसनी यतः । मृगया मद्य पैशुन्य वेश्याचौर्यदुरोदरैः

Transliteration

na tatyāja ca taddharmaṃ durbodho vyasanī yataḥ | mṛgayā madya paiśunya veśyācauryadurodaraiḥ

Translation

അവൻ മന്ദബുദ്ധിയും വ്യസനിയും ആയതിനാൽ ആ ജീവിതധർമ്മം വിട്ടില്ല—വേട്ട, മദ്യപാനം, പരനിന്ദ‑ചാടി, വേശ്യാസംഗം, മോഷണം, നാശകരമായ ചൂതാട്ടം എന്നിവയിൽ അടിമപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• तत्याज: abandoned, gave up
• तत्याज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धर्मम्: duty, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्बोधः: hard to instruct
• दुर्बोधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + बोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (दुर्बोधः = hard to instruct/understand)

• व्यसनी: addicted, vice-ridden
• व्यसनी: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यसनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
• Form: हेतुवाचक अव्यय (causal: because/since)

• मृगया: hunting
• मृगया: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनार्थे? (पाठे एकवचन; साधारणतः तृतीया-एकवचन)

• मद्य: liquor
• मद्य: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-गणना)

• पैशुन्य: slander, backbiting
• पैशुन्य: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार)

• वेश्याचौर्यदुरोदरैः: by prostitutes, theft, and gambling
• वेश्याचौर्यदुरोदरैः: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्या + चौर्य + दुरोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (prostitutes + theft + gambling)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (within Skanda’s Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse to Agastya-context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A descending sequence of vice: hunting scene, drinking, whispering slander, brothel doorway, theft in a home, and gambling den—contrasted with distant Kāśī temples as silent reproach.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Addictions and vices harden the mind against instruction; dharma requires renouncing destructive habits that lead to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse is moral critique within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a prohibition-style ethical listing of vices (vyasanas).