Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

न मात्रा न दुहित्रा वा न स्वस्रैकांतशीलता । बलवंतीद्रियाण्यत्र मोहयंत्यपि कोविदान्

Transliteration

na mātrā na duhitrā vā na svasraikāṃtaśīlatā | balavaṃtīdriyāṇyatra mohayaṃtyapi kovidān

Translation

ഇവിടെ മാതാവോ പുത്രിയോ ഏകാന്തശീലിനിയായ സഹോദരിയോ കാരണമല്ല; ബലവത്തായ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളാണ് കാരണം, അവ പണ്ഡിതരെയും മോഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• mātrā: mother
• mātrā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• duhitrā: daughter
• duhitrā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duhitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• svasraikāntaśīlatā: the sister’s exclusive devotion/attachment
• svasraikāntaśīlatā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + ekānta (प्रातिपदिक) + śīlatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): 'स्वसुः एकान्त-शीलता'

• balavatī: powerful
• balavatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• indriyāṇi: senses
• indriyāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative Plural)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• mohayanti: delude
• mohayanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative: मोहयति (to delude)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• kovidān: the wise/learned
• kovidān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative Plural)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative sādhaka in Kāśī stands near a ghat, eyes lowered, while symbolic senses (horses) pull toward distractions; a calm inner light restrains them, with Viśvanātha’s spire in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• indriya (senses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse teaches that the true danger is not other people, but one’s own uncontrolled senses; self-restraint is the core protection of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Varanasi/Kāśī) framework, where ethical discipline is presented as part of Kāśī’s sacred dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the instruction is ethical—guarding the senses (indriya-nigraha) and avoiding delusion.