Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71
Devanagari script
ते दृश्यंते प्रतिद्वारं विहीन नयनाननाः । देहिदेहीति जल्पंतो देहिनः सपटच्चराः
Transliteration
te dṛśyaṃte pratidvāraṃ vihīna nayanānanāḥ | dehidehīti jalpaṃto dehinaḥ sapaṭaccarāḥ
Translation
ते प्रतिद्वारं दृश्यन्ते, नयनाननविहीनाः; ‘देहि देहि’ इति जल्पन्तो देहिनः, सपटच्चराः परिभ्रमन्ति।
Word by Word
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
दृश्यन्तेare seen
दृश्यन्ते:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)
प्रतिद्वारम्at each door
प्रतिद्वारम्:
Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति (अव्यय) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable adverbial)
विहीनाःdeprived (of)
विहीनाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootविहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
नयनाननाः(those) with eyes and faces (i.e., their eyes/faces)
नयनाननाः:
Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootनयन + आनन (प्रातिपदिके)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नयनानि च आननानि च)
देहिgive!
देहि:
Sambodhana/Prayojaka (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
देहिgive!
देहि:
Sambodhana/Prayojaka (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)
जल्पन्तःbabbling/saying
जल्पन्तः:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootजल्प् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom. pl.)
देहिनःembodied beings
देहिनः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
सपटच्चराःmoving about restlessly (fluttering)
सपटच्चराः:
Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootस + पटत् + चर (प्रातिपदिके)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारयः (पटत्/पटच्चराः = ‘fluttering-moving’, तद्वत्)
Speaker
Skanda
Characters & Entities
S
Saṅkrānti (context from prior verse)FAQs
Neglect of dharmic duties leads to degrading karmic outcomes—symbolized by helplessness, dependence, and loss of dignity.
No single tirtha is named; the verse functions as a warning within Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s teaching on sacred observances.
Implicitly, it reinforces the prior prescriptions: charity, tīrtha-bathing, and special homa at saṅkrānti.