Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सदोजिरे च बोद्धारो योद्धारश्चरणाजिरे । न यस्य शास्त्रैर्विजिता न शस्त्रैः केनचित्क्वचित्

Transliteration

sadojire ca boddhāro yoddhāraścaraṇājire | na yasya śāstrairvijitā na śastraiḥ kenacitkvacit

Translation

ତାଙ୍କ ଆଙ୍ଗଣରେ ସଦା ଜ୍ଞାନୀ ପରାମର୍ଶଦାତା ଓ ବୀର ଯୋଦ୍ଧାମାନେ ରହନ୍ତି। ତାଙ୍କ ପ୍ରଜା କେହି କେଉଁଠି ମଧ୍ୟ ନ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ର (ନୀତି) ଦ୍ୱାରା, ନ ଶସ୍ତ୍ର ଦ୍ୱାରା ପରାଜିତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• ajire: in the courtyard/arena
• ajire: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• boddhāraḥ: knowers, understanders
• boddhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: boddhṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √budh (धातु) तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक

• yoddhāraḥ: fighters, warriors
• yoddhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoddhṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √yudh (धातु) तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• caraṇa-ajire: in the arena of feet; in the field of movement/footwork
• caraṇa-ajire: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चरणानाम् अजिरे / चरण-सम्बद्धे अजिरे)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (negation)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• śāstraiḥ: by scriptures/strategies
• śāstraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• vijitāḥ: conquered
• vijitāḥ: Kriyā (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vijita (कृदन्त; √ji (धातु) क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘विजित’ = conquered

• na: nor/not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक

• śastraiḥ: by weapons
• śastraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• kenacit: by anyone
• kenacit: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• kvacit: anywhere, ever
• kvacit: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (anywhere/ever)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A palace courtyard with two groups: serene, learned counsellors holding manuscripts and prayer beads; vigilant warriors with bows and swords; the king’s realm shown as unconquerable by debate or battle.

Characters & Entities

• Boddhāraḥ (wise)
• Yoddhāraḥ (warriors)
• Śāstra
• Śastra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld when wisdom (śāstra) and strength (śastra) are harmonized, creating a realm resilient to both debate and battle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s glorificatory narrative; it does not identify a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.