Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

इति तेन समादिष्टाः सर्वे वर्पवरा मुने । तां धर्तुमुद्यमं चक्रुर्बलेन बलवत्तराः

Transliteration

iti tena samādiṣṭāḥ sarve varpavarā mune | tāṃ dhartumudyamaṃ cakrurbalena balavattarāḥ

Translation

அவன் ஆணையின்படி, முனிவரே, அந்தச் சிறந்த வீரர்கள் அனைவரும்—வலிமைமிக்கவர்களிலும் வலிமைமிக்கவர்கள்—வலுக்கட்டாயமாக அவளைப் பிடிக்க முயன்றனர்.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative): ‘thus’

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक (masc./neut.), तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• samādiṣṭāḥ: ordered, instructed
• samādiṣṭāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√diś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• varpavarāḥ: the excellent (warriors)
• varpavarāḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varpa-vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन (plural); कर्मधारयः: ‘varpāḥ eva varāḥ’ (excellent/choice warriors)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem.), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• dhartum: to seize, to hold
• dhartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive): ‘to hold/capture’

• udyamam: effort, attempt
• udyamam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• cakruḥ: made, undertook
• cakruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural); परस्मैपद

• balena: by force, with strength
• balena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• balavattarāḥ: stronger
• balavattarāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन (plural); तर-प्रत्यय (comparative): ‘stronger’

Speaker

Narrator (within Skanda’s discourse to Agastya, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (addressed) / Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of powerful attendants surge forward to seize a woman; their bodies lean in unison, weapons/arms extended, while the intended victim stands poised, hinting at hidden power.

Characters & Entities

• Elite attendants/warriors (varpavarāḥ)
• Daityapati (implied)
• Sage listener (Agastya implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Force used for adharma becomes self-destructive; the Purāṇic frame emphasizes that the righteous (and the sacred) are ultimately protected.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s wider canvas is Kāśī, but no specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.