Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

कुतस्त्वमिह संप्राप्तः कस्मात्ते गतिरीदृशी । अनुक्रोशधियारक्षः पृच्छामि वद निर्भयम्

Transliteration

kutastvamiha saṃprāptaḥ kasmātte gatirīdṛśī | anukrośadhiyārakṣaḥ pṛcchāmi vada nirbhayam

Translation

"നീ എവിടെ നിന്നാണ് ഇവിടെ എത്തിയത്? എന്തുകൊണ്ടാണ് നിനക്ക് ഈ അവസ്ഥ വന്നത്? കരുണയോടെ ഞാൻ ചോദിക്കുന്നു, ഭയപ്പെടാതെ പറയൂ."

Word by Word

• कुतः: from where?
• कुतः: Desha/Hetu (Source/Reason adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय/प्रश्नाव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• सम्प्राप्तः: arrived
• सम्प्राप्तः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्राप् (धातु) + सम्- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘having arrived’ (predicate participle)

• कस्मात्: from what (cause)? why?
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• गतिः: state, course, condition
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ईदृशी: such as this
• ईदृशी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अनुक्रोश-धिया: with compassionate thought
• अनुक्रोश-धिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुक्रोश (प्रातिपदिक) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अनुक्रोशस्य धिया)

• रक्षः: O demon/spirit!
• रक्षः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; संबोधनपदम्

• पृच्छामि: I ask
• पृच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• निर्भयम्: fearlessly
• निर्भयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative): ‘fearlessly’

Speaker

Aged ascetic (within Skanda’s narration to Agastya)

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• preta
• rakṣaḥ (spirit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassionate questioning opens the door for confession, guidance, and eventual upliftment—key Purāṇic dharma in action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-kṣetra setting frames the episode, presenting Kāśī as a place where even the fallen may find a path to relief.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is part of a dialogue leading toward explanation and remedy.