Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

वर्जितस्य विधानेन प्रोक्तस्याकरणेन वै । कलिकालावपि हतो ब्राह्मणं रंध्रदर्शनात्

Transliteration

varjitasya vidhānena proktasyākaraṇena vai | kalikālāvapi hato brāhmaṇaṃ raṃdhradarśanāt

Translation

നിഷിദ്ധകർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നതാലും, വിധിക്കപ്പെട്ട കര്‍മ്മം ചെയ്യാതിരിക്കുന്നതാലും—‘രന്ധ്രം’ (ദോഷം) മാത്രം കാണുന്ന പ്രവൃത്തിയാലും—കലിയുഗത്തിലും ബ്രാഹ്മണന്‍ പതനം സംഭവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वर्जितस्य: of what is forbidden/avoided
• वर्जितस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् (प्रोक्तस्य)

• विधानेन: by prescription/ordinance
• विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रोक्तस्य: of what is enjoined/said
• प्रोक्तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्र+वच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् (विधानेन/अकरणेन सम्बन्धे)

• अकरणेन: by non-performance
• अकरणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (करणस्य अभावः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

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

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

• हतः: is slain/ruined
• हतः: Kriya-Phala (Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विधेय-विशेषणम् (ब्राह्मणम् इत्यस्य कर्तृ/कर्मणि सन्दर्भे)

• ब्राह्मणम्: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रन्ध्रदर्शनात्: from seeing a flaw/opening
• रन्ध्रदर्शनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रन्ध्र-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रन्ध्रस्य दर्शनम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General brāhmaṇa audience (explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa/pilgrim peers for ‘loopholes’—turning away from prescribed rites and stepping toward forbidden acts; the atmosphere darkens, symbolizing Kali’s grip; Skanda warns sternly yet compassionately.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kali Yuga
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma collapses when one chases loopholes—doing the prohibited and neglecting the prescribed—leading to spiritual and social downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Avimukta/Kāśī teachings, though this verse focuses on dharma-ethics rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear ethical-ritual guideline: avoid niṣiddha (forbidden acts) and do not omit vihita (enjoined duties).