Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वाध्यायमिमं पुण्यं नरो नियतमानसः । भूतैः प्रेतैः पिशाचैश्च कदाचिन्नाभिभूयते

Transliteration

śrutvādhyāyamimaṃ puṇyaṃ naro niyatamānasaḥ | bhūtaiḥ pretaiḥ piśācaiśca kadācinnābhibhūyate

Translation

ഈ പുണ്യാധ്യായം ശ്രവിച്ച നിയന്ത്രിതമനസ്സുള്ള മനുഷ്യൻ ഒരിക്കലും ഭൂതം, പ്രേതം, പിശാച് എന്നിവാൽ കീഴടക്കപ്പെടുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having heard)

• अध्यायम्: chapter/recitation
• अध्यायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अध्यायम्)

• पुण्यम्: meritorious/holy
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अध्यायम्)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• नियतमानसः: of disciplined mind
• नियतमानसः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नियतं मनः यस्य/नियत-मानसः); विशेषणम् (नरः)

• भूतैः: by beings/spirits
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), बहुवचन

• प्रेतैः: by ghosts
• प्रेतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पिशाचैः: by goblins/demons
• पिशाचैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कदाचित्: ever/at any time
• कदाचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अभिभूयते: is overpowered
• अभिभूयते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame) / Kumbhayoni (Agastya) in internal dialogue context

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined devotee listens to a sacred recitation in Kāśī; shadowy bhūtas/pretas/piśācas recoil at the sound of the māhātmya, while Śiva’s protective aura surrounds the listener.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūta
• Preta
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hearing sacred Purāṇic teaching with a disciplined mind grants protective spiritual merit and inner steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, aligning its promised protection with the sanctity of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (devout listening) of the holy chapter; no separate dāna/snānā rule is stated here.