Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

काषायवसनो मुंडः प्रैक्ष्यहो भवतापि यः । परितापं महानेष जनयिष्यति दारुणम्

Transliteration

kāṣāyavasano muṃḍaḥ praikṣyaho bhavatāpi yaḥ | paritāpaṃ mahāneṣa janayiṣyati dāruṇam

Translation

കാഷായവസ്ത്രധാരിയായ ആ മുണ്ഡിതൻ, നീയും—അയ്യോ—കണ്ടവൻ; അവൻ മഹത്തും ദാരുണവുമായ പരിതാപം ജനിപ്പിക്കും.

Word by Word

• काषाय-वसनः: wearing ochre garments
• काषाय-वसनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काषाय (प्रातिपदिक) + वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (काषायं वसनं यस्य)

• मुण्डः: a shaven-headed man
• मुण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रैक्ष्य: to see
• प्रैक्ष्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईक्ष् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः: ‘to see/behold’

• अहो: alas!/oh!
• अहो: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/उद्गार-अव्यय (interjection)

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक (particle: also/even)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• परितापम्: affliction/torment
• परितापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक सर्वनाम

• जनयिष्यति: will produce/cause
• जनयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु) (णिच् causative: जनय)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• दारुणम्: terrible
• दारुणम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (परितापम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark figure: shaven-headed ascetic in ochre robes stands in a narrow Kāśī lane near a ghat, gaze intense; onlookers recoil, sensing impending anguish; lamps flicker and shadows lengthen.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied by Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even seemingly ‘religious’ symbols can appear as omens in dreams; discernment and dharmic response are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter belongs to Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered narrative, though the verse itself is about an omen rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is specified in this verse; it is a prognostic statement about impending suffering.