Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

कालादपि निरातंकान्विश्वेशशरणं गतान् । क्वचिद्वेदरहस्यज्ञानाबाल्यब्रह्मचारिणः

Transliteration

kālādapi nirātaṃkānviśveśaśaraṇaṃ gatān | kvacidvedarahasyajñānābālyabrahmacāriṇaḥ

Translation

അവൻ ചിലരെ കണ്ടു—കാലത്തെയും ഭയപ്പെടാത്തവർ, വിശ്വേശ്വരന്റെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചവർ; മറ്റുചിലരെ—വേദങ്ങളുടെ രഹസ്യാർത്ഥം അറിഞ്ഞവർ, ബാല്യത്തിൽ നിന്നേ ബ്രഹ്മചര്യം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചവർ എന്നും കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• कालात्: from time/death
• कालात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• निरातंकान्: fearless
• निरातंकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरातङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (विशेषण) ‘भयरहित’

• विश्वेशशरणम्: refuge of Viśveśa
• विश्वेशशरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक) + शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘विश्वेशस्य शरणम्’

• गतान्: having gone to / having taken (refuge)
• गतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गत’ = प्राप्त/आश्रित

• क्वचित्: somewhere/sometimes
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• वेदरहस्यज्ञान: knowledge of the Veda’s secret
• वेदरहस्यज्ञान: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप); ‘वेदस्य रहस्यस्य ज्ञानम्’

• आबाल्य: from childhood
• आबाल्य: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आबाल्य (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverb) ‘बाल्यपर्यन्तम्/बाल्यादारभ्य’

• ब्रह्मचारिणः: brahmacārins (celibate students)
• ब्रह्मचारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśa in Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two groups in Kāśī: one standing firm with eyes bright, hands in añjali toward Viśveśa, unshaken by the presence of Time (personified Kāla in the distance); another group of youthful brahmacārins with sacred thread, staff, and palm-leaf texts, discussing Vedic secrets near a shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Vedas
• brahmacārins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking refuge in Viśveśa grants fearlessness, and disciplined brahmacarya supports deep Vedic insight—both celebrated as natural in Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, specifically under the protection and sanctity of Viśveśa (Viśvanātha/Viśveśvara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brahmacarya (lifelong or from childhood) is praised; no specific external ritual (snāna/dāna/japa) is stated.