Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

गणाः पश्यत दुर्वृत्तैः प्रारब्धानां च कर्मणाम् । अनीश्वरैरवस्थेयं कुतो द्वेषो महेश्वरे

Transliteration

gaṇāḥ paśyata durvṛttaiḥ prārabdhānāṃ ca karmaṇām | anīśvarairavastheyaṃ kuto dveṣo maheśvare

Translation

ହେ ଗଣମାନେ, ଦେଖ—ଦୁର୍ବୃତ୍ତମାନେ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିଥିବା କର୍ମର ଫଳ ଏପରି ଅସହାୟ ଅବସ୍ଥା ଆଣେ। ଯେମାନଙ୍କର ସତ୍ୟ ଅଧିପତ୍ୟ ନାହିଁ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଗତି ଏହି; ତେବେ ମହେଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କୁ ଦ୍ୱେଷ କାହିଁକି?,

Word by Word

• गणाः: O Gaṇas
• गणाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि), बहुवचन

• पश्यत: see, behold
• पश्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• दुर्वृत्तैः: by the wicked (misconducting ones)
• दुर्वृत्तैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘दुष्टाचारैः’

• प्रारब्धानाम्: of the begun/undertaken
• प्रारब्धानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रारब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √रभ् + प्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘कर्मणाम्’ इति विशेषणम्

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

• कर्मणाम्: of actions/deeds
• कर्मणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अनीश्वरैः: by the powerless/helpless
• अनीश्वरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘अस्वतन्त्रैः’

• अवस्थेयम्: must be endured/undergone
• अवस्थेयम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक) + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘अवस्थेयम्’ = to be endured/undergone

• कुतः: whence? how (could there be)?
• कुतः: Hetu-prashna (Cause-question/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• द्वेषः: hatred
• द्वेषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/भाव), एकवचन

• महेश्वरे: toward/in regard to Maheśvara
• महेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Vīrabhadra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame assumed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vīrabhadra addresses the gaṇas like a teacher-general: pointing to the ruined enclosure as proof of karma’s recoil and the folly of hating Maheśvara.

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Gaṇas
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• karma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma ripens inevitably; blaming Śiva is ignorance—Maheśvara stands as the higher order beyond petty resentment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Kāśī-centered Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where Śiva’s lordship is upheld as the theological axis of the sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction; it is a doctrinal admonition about karma and devotion rather than ceremony.