Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

स च बाणस्तया देव्या निज बाणैर्महाजवैः । निवारितोपि वेगेन तां देवीमभ्यगान्मुने

Transliteration

sa ca bāṇastayā devyā nija bāṇairmahājavaiḥ | nivāritopi vegena tāṃ devīmabhyagānmune

Translation

ഹേ മുനേ! ആ ബാണത്തെ ദേവി തന്റെ മഹാവേഗമുള്ള ബാണങ്ങളാൽ തടഞ്ഞിട്ടും, അതിന്റെ തന്നെ പ്രബലവേഗം കൊണ്ട് അത് ദേവിയിലേക്കു പാഞ്ഞെത്തി।

Word by Word

• saḥ: he/that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (he/that)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = conjunction

• bāṇaḥ: arrow
• bāṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (by her)

• devyā: by the Goddess
• devyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-तृतीया (by the Goddess)

• nija: own
• nija: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (बाणैः सह); विशेषण (own)

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणपद (with arrows)

• mahā-javaiḥ: very swift
• mahā-javaiḥ: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (पूर्वपद) + java (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः = कर्मधारय: महत् जवे येषां ते (very swift)

• nivāritaḥ: checked, obstructed
• nivāritaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + √vṛ (वृ/वारयति) + ita (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि (having been checked/warded off)

• api: even/though
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि = even/also)

• vegena: by (its) speed/force
• vegena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणपद (by force/speed)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (her)

• devīm: the Goddess
• devīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• abhyagāt: approached/went toward
• abhyagāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + √gam (गम्)
• Form: लुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (went/approached)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधनपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal arrow, glowing and roaring, pushes forward even as Devī’s rapid arrows meet it; the air is dense with motion lines, sparks, and swirling wind around the Goddess’s calm face.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Goddess)
• Muni (sage, addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative heightens the sense of trial: even when checked, the momentum of hostility persists—yet it is ultimately met within the sphere of divine sovereignty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s broader sacred narrative, not a direct glorification of a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.