Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

केकीकेकां परित्यज्य मौनं तिष्ठति तद्भयात् । चकोरश्चंद्रिका भोक्ता नक्तव्रतमिवास्थितः

Transliteration

kekīkekāṃ parityajya maunaṃ tiṣṭhati tadbhayāt | cakoraścaṃdrikā bhoktā naktavratamivāsthitaḥ

Translation

‘കേകീ-കേകീ’ വിളി ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് മയിൽ, മുനിക്ക് ഭംഗം വരുമോ എന്ന ഭയത്തിൽ മൗനമായി നിൽക്കുന്നു. ചന്ദ്രിക പാനം ചെയ്യുന്ന ചകോരം നക്തവ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.

Word by Word

• केकीकेकाम्: the peacock’s cry
• केकीकेकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकी-केका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (केक्याः केका)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purva-kala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; अर्थः—त्यक्त्वा (having abandoned)

• मौनम्: silence
• मौनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तद्भयात्: from fear of that
• तद्भयात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (तस्य भयम्)

• चकोरः: the cakora bird
• चकोरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चकोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• चन्द्रिकाभोक्ता: enjoyer of moonlight
• चन्द्रिकाभोक्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रिका + भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (चन्द्रिकां भुङ्क्ते इति)

• नक्तव्रतम्: a night-vow
• नक्तव्रतम्: Upamana (उपमान) (in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (नक्तं व्रतम्)

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upama-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• आस्थितः: having undertaken/observing
• आस्थितः: Kriya (participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे—स्थितः (having undertaken/observing)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A peacock, normally calling loudly, stands still and silent; nearby a cakora gazes at the moon as if observing a night-vow; the meditating sage remains undisturbed.

Characters & Entities

• Kekī (peacock)
• Cakora (bird)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred spaces cultivate mauna and vrata-like discipline; even nature seems to honor meditative sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s meditative environment (Avimukta region) is praised implicitly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Naktavrata is referenced by simile; it is not directly prescribed, but evokes the ideal of disciplined observance.