Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

न तत्याज च तद्धर्मं दुर्बोधो व्यसनी यतः । मृगया मद्य पैशुन्य वेश्याचौर्यदुरोदरैः

Transliteration

na tatyāja ca taddharmaṃ durbodho vyasanī yataḥ | mṛgayā madya paiśunya veśyācauryadurodaraiḥ

Translation

Dia tidak meninggalkan cara hidup itu, kerana dia dungu dan ketagih—memburu, arak, fitnah dan umpatan, bergaul dengan pelacur, mencuri, serta judi yang membinasakan.

Word by Word

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

• तत्याज: abandoned, gave up
• तत्याज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धर्मम्: duty, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्बोधः: hard to instruct
• दुर्बोधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + बोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (दुर्बोधः = hard to instruct/understand)

• व्यसनी: addicted, vice-ridden
• व्यसनी: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यसनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
• Form: हेतुवाचक अव्यय (causal: because/since)

• मृगया: hunting
• मृगया: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनार्थे? (पाठे एकवचन; साधारणतः तृतीया-एकवचन)

• मद्य: liquor
• मद्य: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-गणना)

• पैशुन्य: slander, backbiting
• पैशुन्य: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार)

• वेश्याचौर्यदुरोदरैः: by prostitutes, theft, and gambling
• वेश्याचौर्यदुरोदरैः: Karana (Instrument/means—vices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्या + चौर्य + दुरोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (prostitutes + theft + gambling)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (within Skanda’s Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse to Agastya-context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A descending sequence of vice: hunting scene, drinking, whispering slander, brothel doorway, theft in a home, and gambling den—contrasted with distant Kāśī temples as silent reproach.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Addictions and vices harden the mind against instruction; dharma requires renouncing destructive habits that lead to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse is moral critique within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a prohibition-style ethical listing of vices (vyasanas).