Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

विनाच्छिद्रेण तं भूपं नोत्सादयितुमुत्सहे । मयैव हि यतो रक्ष्याः प्रिये धर्मधुरंधराः

Transliteration

vinācchidreṇa taṃ bhūpaṃ notsādayitumutsahe | mayaiva hi yato rakṣyāḥ priye dharmadhuraṃdharāḥ

Translation

ଦୋଷ ନ ମିଳିଲେ ମୁଁ ସେ ରାଜାଙ୍କୁ ଉତ୍ସାଦନ କରିବାକୁ ସମର୍ଥ ନୁହେଁ; କାରଣ, ହେ ପ୍ରିୟେ, ଧର୍ମର ଭାର ବହୁଥିବା ଧୁରନ୍ଧରମାନେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ମୋର ରକ୍ଷାର ଯୋଗ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अभावार्थक (without)

• छिद्रेण: by a loophole/weakness
• छिद्रेण: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• भूपम्: king
• भूपम्: कर्म (Object apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• उत्सादयितुम्: to destroy
• उत्सादयितुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/Infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), परस्मैपदी-भाव; ‘उत्सादयितुम्’ = to destroy/ruin

• उत्सहे: I am able/dare
• उत्सहे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्सह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (indeed/only)

• हि: for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक (for/indeed)

• यतः: because
• यतः: अपादान (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; कारणार्थे

• रक्ष्याः: (they) must be protected
• रक्ष्याः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/Future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘to be protected’

• प्रिये: O dear (one)
• प्रिये: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; (प्रिय-शब्दः)

• धर्मधुरंधराः: bearers/upholders of dharma
• धर्मधुरंधराः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-धुरंधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘धर्मस्य धुरं धरन्ति’—upholders of dharma

Speaker

Śiva (addressing Devī/Umā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied interlocutor addressed as ‘priye’ (beloved)—likely a divine consort/close attendant within the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deity reflects on the impossibility of toppling a faultless dharmic king; the king stands firm, radiant, shielded by an unseen divine aura; courtiers and sacred city motifs frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devī (Umā/Pārvatī)
• King (Divodāsa—context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides inviolability; even divine forces do not act against a righteous protector unless a genuine breach appears.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Vārāṇasī, where the narrative frames kingship as accountable to dharma under Śiva’s guardianship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes ethical “qualification” and rāja-dharma rather than a specific rite.