Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

चित्रलेखन नैपुण्यात्काचिज्जनमनोहरा । वशीकरणमंत्रज्ञा काचित्तत्र चचार ह

Transliteration

citralekhana naipuṇyātkācijjanamanoharā | vaśīkaraṇamaṃtrajñā kācittatra cacāra ha

Translation

ചിത്രരചനയിലെ നൈപുണ്യത്താൽ ഒരുത്തി ജനമനസ്സിനെ ആനന്ദിപ്പിച്ചു. മറ്റൊരുത്തി വശീകരണമന്ത്രജ്ഞയായി അവിടെ സഞ്ചരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• चित्र-लेखन: of picture-drawing
• चित्र-लेखन: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + लेखन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); ‘चित्रलेखन’ = picture-drawing/painting

• नैपुण्यात्: from skill; due to expertise
• नैपुण्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• काचित्: some (woman)
• काचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; किम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जन-मनोहरा: delighting people; charming
• जन-मनोहरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोहरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘जनानां मनोहरा’ = charming to people

• वशीकरण-मन्त्रज्ञा: knower of enchantment/subjugation mantras
• वशीकरण-मन्त्रज्ञा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वशीकरण (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञ ‘knower’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘वशीकरणस्य मन्त्रस्य ज्ञा’ = knower of the subjugation-mantra

• काचित्: some (woman)
• काचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; किम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• चचार: wandered, moved about
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘चचार’ = wandered/moved about

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

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-assembly (frame, not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gifted woman paints vivid murals or scrolls, charming onlookers; nearby, another woman quietly recites attraction-mantras, moving through the crowd with an aura of influence.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse contrasts aesthetic charm and mantra-based influence, implying that power—artistic or esoteric—should be understood within dharma in a sacred place like Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra broadly; no individual tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; only knowledge of mantras is referenced.