Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

मद्भक्तियुक्तोपि विना त्वदीयां भक्तिं न काशी वसतिं लभेत । गणेषु देवेषु हि मानवेषु तदग्रमान्यो भव दंडपाणे

Transliteration

madbhaktiyuktopi vinā tvadīyāṃ bhaktiṃ na kāśī vasatiṃ labheta | gaṇeṣu deveṣu hi mānaveṣu tadagramānyo bhava daṃḍapāṇe

Translation

എന്റെ ഭക്തിയുള്ളവനായാലും നിന്റെ ഭക്തിയില്ലാതെ കാശീവാസം ലഭിക്കുകയില്ല. അതിനാൽ, ഹേ ദണ്ഡപാണി, എന്റെ ഗണങ്ങളിൽ, ദേവന്മാരിൽ, മനുഷ്യരിലും നീ അഗ്രഗണ്യനും സർവ്വമാന്യനും ആകുക।

Word by Word

• मद्भक्तियुक्तः: even one endowed with devotion to me
• मद्भक्तियुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मद्-भक्त्या युक्तः (endowed with devotion to me)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Ablative sense/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय/उपपद (without; governs accusative)

• त्वदीयाम्: your
• त्वदीयाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying भक्तिम्)

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• काशी: Kāśī
• काशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन

• वसतिम्: dwelling/residence
• वसतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• लभेत: would obtain
• लभेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• गणेषु: among the gaṇas
• गणेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), बहुवचन

• देवेषु: among the gods
• देवेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle/for)

• मानवेषु: among humans
• मानवेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), बहुवचन

• तत्: there/that
• तत्: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (that)

• अग्रमानीः: self-important; thinking oneself foremost
• अग्रमानीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र + मानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: अग्रं मानयति/अग्रे मानः यस्य (one who considers himself foremost)

• भव: be
• भव: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• दण्डपाणे: O Daṇḍapāṇi (staff-in-hand)
• दण्डपाणे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: दण्डः पाणौ यस्य (one with a staff in hand)

Speaker

Śiva (addressing Daṇḍapāṇi; inferred from 'madbhakti' and direct vocative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Kālabhairava/Daṇḍapāṇi kṣetrapāla)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Daṇḍapāṇi (Kālabhairava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva addresses Daṇḍapāṇi, elevating him as foremost; Bhairava stands vigilant with staff (daṇḍa), dog mount nearby, guarding the thresholds of Kāśī’s lanes and temples.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kāśī
• Daṇḍapāṇi
• Gaṇas
• Devas
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a divinely regulated sacred space where devotion must align with Śiva’s appointed power and guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as a protected divine residence (vasati) with spiritual prerequisites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is specified; the prescription is devotional allegiance (bhakti) to the designated guardian figure, Daṇḍapāṇi.