Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

भर्जयैनं चणकवत्तप्तवालुक कर्परैः । भ्राष्ट्रे विकटवक्त्रत्वं परसंतापकारिणम्

Transliteration

bharjayainaṃ caṇakavattaptavāluka karparaiḥ | bhrāṣṭre vikaṭavaktratvaṃ parasaṃtāpakāriṇam

Translation

മറ്റുള്ളവരെ ദ്രോഹിക്കുന്ന ഇവനെ ചുട്ടുപഴുത്ത മണൽ നിറച്ച പാത്രങ്ങളിൽ കടല വറുക്കുന്നതുപോലെ വറുക്കുക; ഇവന്റെ മുഖം വികൃതമാകട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• भर्जय: fry/roast!
• भर्जय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चणकवत्: like chickpeas
• चणकवत्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चणक (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमानार्थक-वत्, adverbial ‘like’)

• तप्त-वालुक-कर्परैः: with hot sand and potsherds
• तप्त-वालुक-कर्परैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, तप् धातु) + वालुक (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (तप्तवालुकैः च कर्परैः च)

• भ्राष्ट्रे: in a roasting-pan
• भ्राष्ट्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विकट-वक्त्रत्वम्: ugly-facedness
• विकट-वक्त्रत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त

• पर-संताप-कारिणम्: causing others’ suffering
• पर-संताप-कारिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + संताप (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—(दण्ड्यं पुरुषं)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying karmic kitchen: the tormentor is roasted like chickpeas amid potsherds filled with scorching sand; his face becomes grotesque in the roasting-pan—symbolizing deformation of one’s inner nature through cruelty.

Characters & Entities

• Tapta-vāluka (hot sand)
• Bhrāṣṭra (roasting pan)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

To harm others is to invite harm upon oneself; compassion and non-cruelty are affirmed as dharmic necessities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī remains the larger frame, but the verse itself focuses on karmic recompense rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is ethical—avoid causing suffering and cultivate dharmic conduct.