Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

पैशुन्यं परदाराश्च द्रोहः क्रोधानृताप्रियम् । द्वेषो दंभश्च माया च स्वर्गमार्गार्गलानि हि

Transliteration

paiśunyaṃ paradārāśca drohaḥ krodhānṛtāpriyam | dveṣo daṃbhaśca māyā ca svargamārgārgalāni hi

Translation

ചാടിപ്പറച്ചിൽ (പൈശുന്യം), പരസ്ത്രീ/പരപുരുഷാസക്തി, ദ്രോഹം, ക്രോധം, അസത്യം, കഠിനമായ അപ്രിയവാക്ക്, ദ്വേഷം, ദംഭം, മായ—ഇവയൊക്കെയാണ് സ്വർഗമാർഗം തടയുന്ന കതകുതാഴുകൾ।

Word by Word

• पैशुन्यम्: slander; backbiting
• पैशुन्यम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• परदाराः: others’ wives (illicit relations)
• परदाराः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (masculine nominative plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• द्रोहः: treachery; malice
• द्रोहः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• क्रोध: anger
• क्रोध: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (as compound member)

• अनृत: falsehood
• अनृत: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (as compound member)

• अप्रियम्: unpleasant speech/act
• अप्रियम्: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• द्वेषः: hatred
• द्वेषः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• दंभः: hypocrisy; deceit
• दंभः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• माया: illusion; trickery
• माया: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• स्वर्गमार्गार्गलानि: bolts/barriers to the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गार्गलानि: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गमार्ग + अर्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (neuter nom/acc plural)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: ‘indeed/for’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical gate to Svarga with heavy bolts labeled as the nine vices; a pilgrim/householder removes them one by one through truth, gentleness, and integrity; Kāśī’s skyline and a distant temple spire appear behind.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain vices function like locked bars on spiritual progress; removing them opens the way to higher worlds and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is Kāśī Khaṇḍa; the verse is ethical instruction rather than a site-glorification passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition: renounce slander, adultery, treachery, anger, lying, harshness, hatred, hypocrisy, and deceit.