Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

कृतभूति तनुत्राणं शिवमंत्रैर्नरोत्तमम् । नोपसर्पंति नियतमपि हिंस्राः समंततः

Transliteration

kṛtabhūti tanutrāṇaṃ śivamaṃtrairnarottamam | nopasarpaṃti niyatamapi hiṃsrāḥ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

ശിവമന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ സംസ്കൃതമായ പവിത്ര വിഭൂതി നരോത്തമന്റെ ദേഹത്തിന് രക്ഷാകവചമാകുന്നു; ചുറ്റുമുള്ള ഹിംസ്രസത്ത്വങ്ങളും അവനെ നിശ്ചയമായി സമീപിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• कृतभूति: (one) having applied sacred ash / with vibhūti made
• कृतभूति: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + भूति (भूति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—कृत-भूति (कृता भूति यस्य/यत्)

• तनुत्राणम्: protection of the body
• तनुत्राणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनुत्राण (तनु + त्राण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तनु-त्राण (तन्वाः त्राणम्)

• शिवमन्त्रैः: by Śiva-mantras
• शिवमन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवमन्त्र (शिव + मन्त्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—शिव-मन्त्र

• नरॊत्तमम्: the best of men
• नरॊत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरॊत्तम (नर + उत्तम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—नर-उत्तम

• न: not
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• उपसर्पन्ति: approach
• उपसर्पन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपसृप् (उप + सृप् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नियतम्: certainly / invariably
• नियतम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नियत (नि + यम् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative)

• अपि: even
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (निपात)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• हिंस्राः: violent (beings)
• हिंस्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिंस्र (हिंस् धातु, र-प्रत्यय/विशेषणप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• समन्ततः: from all sides
• समन्ततः: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devoted man in Kāśī, body marked with consecrated vibhūti, stands fearless as shadowy violent beings recoil at a distance; the aura of Śiva-mantra forms an unseen protective circle.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Vibhūti (sacred ash)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-bhakti expressed through mantra and vibhūti becomes both spiritual merit and tangible protection from harmful forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī narrative context leads into a tīrtha-māhātmya connected with liberation from piśāca-state (Piśācamocana), though this verse focuses on vibhūti’s protective power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Applying vibhūti (sacred ash) while sanctifying it with Śiva-mantras.