Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

क्रोधेन च तपो यद्वत्कामेन च यथा मतिः । अनयेन यथा लक्ष्मीर्विद्या मानेन वै यथा

Transliteration

krodhena ca tapo yadvatkāmena ca yathā matiḥ | anayena yathā lakṣmīrvidyā mānena vai yathā

Translation

ക്രോധംകൊണ്ട് തപസ് നശിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, കാമംകൊണ്ട് ബുദ്ധി ഭ്രഷ്ടമാകുന്നതുപോലെ; അന്യായംകൊണ്ട് ലക്ഷ്മി നശിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, അഭിമാനംകൊണ്ട് വിദ്യ നശിക്കുന്നു—

Word by Word

• क्रोधेन: by anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction “and”)

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (comparative: “as/just as”)

• कामेन: by desire
• कामेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक

• मतिः: mind/intellect
• मतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनयेन: by misconduct/evil conduct
• अनयेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक

• लक्ष्मीः: fortune/prosperity
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विद्या: knowledge/learning
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मानेन: by pride/vanity
• मानेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अनुनासिक-निपात (emphatic particle “indeed”)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (ellipsis: “as (is destroyed/lost)”)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims seeking tīrtha-phala

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: four panels showing (1) ascetic’s fire of tapas quenched by anger, (2) a clear mind clouded by desire, (3) Lakṣmī departing from a house of injustice, (4) a scholar’s manuscript dimmed by pride—set against a Kāśī backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Kāśī
• Lakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse warns that inner vices negate spiritual and worldly gains, implying the need for dhārmic conduct alongside tīrtha devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage is Gaṅgā-māhātmya in Kāśī; this verse functions as an ethical contrast within that praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; it teaches ethical restraints (anger, desire, pride, injustice) as supportive disciplines.