Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

वने वनौकसो जाता ग्रामेषु ग्रामवासिनः । दातारो याचितारश्च रक्षितारश्च घातुकाः

Transliteration

vane vanaukaso jātā grāmeṣu grāmavāsinaḥ | dātāro yācitāraśca rakṣitāraśca ghātukāḥ

Translation

காடுகளில் நாம் வனவாசிகளாகவும், ஊர்களில் ஊர்வாசிகளாகவும் ஆனோம்; சிலவேளை தானம் அளிப்பவர்களாக, சிலவேளை யாசிப்பவர்களாக, சிலவேளை காப்பவர்களாக, சிலவேளை கொல்லுவோராகவும் இருந்தோம்.

Word by Word

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• वनौकसः: forest-dwellers
• वनौकसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वने ओकः यस्य/येषां = forest-dwellers)

• जाताः: became/were born
• जाताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (वयम्) जाताः = became/were born

• ग्रामेषु: in villages
• ग्रामेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• ग्रामवासिनः: village-dwellers
• ग्रामवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ग्रामे वसन्ति)

• दातारः: givers
• दातारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) → दातृ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• याचितारः: beggars/askers
• याचितारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याच् (धातु) → याचितृ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• रक्षितारः: protectors
• रक्षितारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) → रक्षितृ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• घातुकाः: killers/slayers
• घातुकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घातुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Pilgrims/supplicants (addressing Śiva in Kāśī; contextually within Skanda’s narration to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (the Lord)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral carousel: forest hermit-like dwellers, village households, a donor offering alms, a beggar receiving, a guardian with staff, and a killer with weapon—each scene fading into the next under the gaze of the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Across births one alternates between virtue and violence; only higher knowledge and divine refuge stabilize dharma and end wandering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting; the verse highlights the need for the purifying power associated with Śiva in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; charity (dāna) is mentioned only as a role, not as an injunction.