Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

विभूतिधारिणं वीक्ष्य पिशाचं जलदेवताः । जलावगाहनपरं वारयांचक्रिरे न तम्

Transliteration

vibhūtidhāriṇaṃ vīkṣya piśācaṃ jaladevatāḥ | jalāvagāhanaparaṃ vārayāṃcakrire na tam

Translation

വിഭൂതി ധരിച്ച പിശാചിനെ കണ്ട ജലദേവതകൾ, അവൻ സ്നാനാർത്ഥം ജലത്തിൽ ഇറങ്ങാൻ ഉത്സുകനായിരുന്നിട്ടും, അവനെ തടഞ്ഞില്ല.

Word by Word

• विभूतिधारिणम्: bearing vibhūti (sacred ash)
• विभूतिधारिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (धृ धातु, इनि-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—विभूति-धारिन् (विभूतिं धारयति)

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु), ल्यप्-प्रत्यय
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (gerund): ‘having seen’

• पिशाचम्: the piśāca (goblin)
• पिशाचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• जलदेवताः: water-deities
• जलदेवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (जल प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (देवता प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—जल-देवता

• जलावगाहनपरम्: intent on bathing/immersing in water
• जलावगाहनपरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + अवगाहन (अव + गाह् धातु, ल्युट्/अन) + पर (पर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—जल-अवगाहन-पर (जलावगाहने परः)

• वारयाम्: to stop
• वारयाम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (वृ धातु, णिच्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय-लोपयुक्तं धात्वर्थ-रूपम् (infinitival sense) ‘to restrain’; पाठानुसारं ‘वारयां-’ (desiderative/infinitive-like in periphrastic perfect construction)

• चक्रिरे: did / attempted
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

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

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā at Kāśī (ghāṭa-snānādhikāra)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A piśāca with fresh vibhūti on forehead approaches the river steps; translucent jala-devatās rise from the water, observing the ash-mark and stepping aside respectfully, allowing the bath.

Characters & Entities

• Piśāca
• Jaladevatāḥ (water deities)
• Vibhūti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred marks and devotion can overturn spiritual ineligibility, granting access to purifying rites like tīrtha-bathing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The bathing-place that becomes famed as Piśācamocana-tīrtha within Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-snana (immersion/bathing) undertaken while bearing vibhūti.