Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

तं भक्तं ध्यानमापन्नं दृढचित्तं शिवेक्षणे । कृतास्त्रमंत्रविन्यासं तं क्रांतुमशकन्न सः

Transliteration

taṃ bhaktaṃ dhyānamāpannaṃ dṛḍhacittaṃ śivekṣaṇe | kṛtāstramaṃtravinyāsaṃ taṃ krāṃtumaśakanna saḥ

Translation

Но тот преданный — погружённый в созерцание, твёрдый умом в видении Шивы и укреплённый устроением священных мантр и охранительных обрядов — оказался ему не по силам.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Accusative, Singular

• भक्तम्: the devotee
• भक्तम्: Karma (Apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (Object with आपन्नम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आपन्नम्: having entered/attained
• आपन्नम्: Visheshana (State/qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+पद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), द्वितीया-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; Past active participle, Accusative Singular Masculine (तम्/भक्तम् इति विशेषण)

• दृढचित्तम्: firm-minded
• दृढचित्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ-चित्त (प्रातिपदिक; दृढ + चित्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular (तम् इति विशेषण)

• शिवेक्षणे: in the vision/contemplation of Śiva
• शिवेक्षणे: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + ईक्षण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कृतास्त्रमन्त्रविन्यासम्: who had arranged/placed weapon-mantras (protective rites)
• कृतास्त्रमन्त्रविन्यासम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-अस्त्र-मन्त्र-विन्यास (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + अस्त्र + मन्त्र + विन्यास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular (तम् इति विशेषण)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Accusative, Singular

• क्रान्तुम्: to attack/overpower (lit. to step upon)
• क्रान्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• अशकत्: was able
• अशकत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect, Active, 3rd person, Singular

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

• सः: he (the demon)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The tiger-form demon lunges but halts as if hitting an invisible barrier; inside, the devotee remains motionless in meditation, eyes half-closed, bathed in a subtle Śiva-aura; protective mantra-geometry implied around him.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Bhakta
• Mantra
• Astra-mantra-vinyāsa
• Duṃdubhi-nirhrāda (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady meditation on Śiva, supported by mantra-discipline, is presented as an inviolable spiritual protection against hostile forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī’s sacred milieu (Kāśīkhaṇḍa); the verse highlights Śaiva practice rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Astra-mantra-vinyāsa (protective mantra placement/ritual arrangement) is referenced, alongside dhyāna focused on Śiva.