Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

श्रुतिवर्त्मजुषः पुंसः संस्पर्शान्नश्यतो मुने । कलिकालावपि सदा छिद्रं प्राप्य जिघांसतः

Transliteration

śrutivartmajuṣaḥ puṃsaḥ saṃsparśānnaśyato mune | kalikālāvapi sadā chidraṃ prāpya jighāṃsataḥ

Translation

ഹേ മുനേ! ശ്രുതിമാർഗം അനുസരിക്കുന്ന പുരുഷനെ സ്പർശിക്കുന്നതുമാത്രം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ, കലിയുഗത്തിലും, ദൗർബല്യം തേടി നശിപ്പിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്ന ഉപദ്രവങ്ങൾ എപ്പോഴും നശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिवर्त्मजुषः: of a man who follows the Vedic path
• श्रुतिवर्त्मजुषः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति-वर्त्म-जुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; जुष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/अच्-प्रायः: जुष्→जुष्/जुष), विशेषणम् (पुंसः); समासः तत्पुरुषः (श्रुतिवर्त्म जुषति)

• पुंसः: of a man
• पुंसः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संस्पर्शात्: from contact
• संस्पर्शात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नश्यतः: of one who is perishing
• नश्यतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; (नश्यतः = of one who perishes)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कलिकालौ: in the Kali age
• कलिकालौ: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कलिः एव कालः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• छिद्रम्: a flaw/opening
• छिद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having found/obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-Kriya (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having obtained/finding)

• जिघांसतः: of one wishing to kill/harm
• जिघांसतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु; desiderative जिघांस्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इच्छार्थक-धातुरूप (desiderative), विशेषणम् (नश्यतः/पुंसः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devoted śruti-follower radiates protective purity; shadowy ‘harms’ approach but dissolve upon mere touch/near-contact; Skanda explains this to a sage.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kali Yuga
• Śruti-vartma (Vedic path)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with steadfast dharmic practitioners has protective spiritual power, even amid Kali Yuga’s dangers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Avimukta/Kāśī discourse, emphasizing the dharmic ethos that sustains the kṣetra’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied prescription of satsanga/saṃsparśa—keeping contact with those devoted to Śruti-vartma (Vedic conduct).