Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पंचापि पांडुतनयाः साक्षाद्रुद्रवपुर्धराः । अवतेरुरिह स्वर्गाद्दुष्टसंहारकारकाः

Transliteration

paṃcāpi pāṃḍutanayāḥ sākṣādrudravapurdharāḥ | avateruriha svargādduṣṭasaṃhārakārakāḥ

Translation

ପାଣ୍ଡୁଙ୍କ ପାଞ୍ଚ ପୁତ୍ର ସମସ୍ତେ ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍ ରୁଦ୍ରସ୍ୱରୂପ ଦେହ ଧାରଣ କରି, ସ୍ୱର୍ଗରୁ ଏଠାକୁ ଅବତରିଲେ—ଦୁଷ୍ଟସଂହାର ପାଇଁ।

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with तनयाः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि-अर्थे (also)

• पाण्डुतनयाः: sons of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुतनयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु + तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पाण्डोः तनयाः)

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-viseshana (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रत्यक्षतया (directly/in person)

• रुद्रवपुःधराः: bearers of Rudra’s form
• रुद्रवपुःधराः: Karta (appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + वपुस् + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्रस्य वपुः धरन्ति)

• अवतेरुः: descended
• अवतेरुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्वर्गात्: from heaven
• स्वर्गात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• दुष्टसंहारकारकाः: destroyers of the wicked
• दुष्टसंहारकारकाः: Karta (appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + संहार + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (दुष्टानां संहारस्य कारकाः = doers of the destruction of the wicked)

Speaker

Skanda (context continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The five Pandavas appear as radiant kṣatriya heroes, each haloed with Rudra-like tejas, descending from svarga with weapons and resolve to destroy wickedness.

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāṇḍu
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is safeguarded through divinely empowered agents; righteousness is not passive but actively restores moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa it supports the sanctity of Kashi by linking its narratives to cosmic Dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.