Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

क्षतात्संत्राणनात्क्षत्रं तत्क्वास्मिन्प्रलयप्रिये । वैश्योपि न भवेदेष सदा निर्धनचेष्टनः

Transliteration

kṣatātsaṃtrāṇanātkṣatraṃ tatkvāsminpralayapriye | vaiśyopi na bhavedeṣa sadā nirdhanaceṣṭanaḥ

Translation

ଆହତଙ୍କୁ ସଂରକ୍ଷଣ କରିବାରୁ ‘କ୍ଷତ୍ର’ ନାମ—କିନ୍ତୁ ପ୍ରଳୟପ୍ରିୟ ଏହାରେ ସେ କେଉଁଠି? ଏ ବୈଶ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ, କାରଣ ଏ ସଦା ନିର୍ଧନ ପରି ଆଚରଣ କରେ।

Word by Word

• क्षतात्: from harm/injury
• क्षतात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; (क्षत = injury/harm)

• संत्राणनात्: from protecting
• संत्राणनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃtrāṇa (त्रै/त्रा धातु, भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; भाववाचक (act of protection)

• क्षत्रम्: kshatra (royal power)
• क्षत्रम्: Pratipādya (Definition term/प्रतिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anuvada (Anaphoric/अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (where?)

• अस्मिन्: in this (one)
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• प्रलयप्रिये: in one fond of destruction
• प्रलयप्रिये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pralaya + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रलयस्य प्रियः)

• वैश्यः: a Vaishya
• वैश्यः: Pratishedhya (Negated predicate/निषेध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात

• भवेत्: would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eṣa (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• निर्धनचेष्टनः: acting like a pauper/with poor means
• निर्धनचेष्टनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirdhana + ceṣṭana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (निर्धनः चेष्टनः/चेष्टनवान्)

Speaker

Dakṣa (as reported in Skanda’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: on one side, a king protects the wounded (kṣatra definition); on the other, Śiva as Kāla stands serene amid symbols of dissolution; below, a simple ascetic with no possessions contrasts with merchant wealth—showing the Lord beyond all.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Dakṣa
• Kṣatra (duty)
• Vaiśya (class)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When ego argues from social definitions, it misreads divine functions; dharma requires reverence and discernment, not contempt.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse belongs to the Kāśī Māhātmya corpus that frames such teachings within Kāśī’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.