Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

षाड्गुण्यवेदिनस्तस्य त्रिशक्त्यूर्जितचेतसः । चतुरोपायवित्तस्य न रंध्रं विविदुः सुराः

Transliteration

ṣāḍguṇyavedinastasya triśaktyūrjitacetasaḥ | caturopāyavittasya na raṃdhraṃ vividuḥ surāḥ

Translation

เหล่าเทวะหาไม่พบช่องโหว่ในเขา—ผู้รู้ศาฑคุญยะ (นโยบายหกประการ), ผู้มีจิตเข้มแข็งด้วยตรีศักติ, และผู้ชำนาญจตุโรปาย (อุบายสี่ประการ)

Word by Word

• षाड्गुण्य: the sixfold policy/qualities
• षाड्गुण्य: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: षाड्गुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); द्विगु-समास (षट्+गुण)

• वेदिनः: knowers
• वेदिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (knowing)

• षाड्गुण्यवेदिनः: knowers of the sixfold (statecraft)
• षाड्गुण्यवेदिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षाड्गुण्य + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (षाड्गुण्यं वेत्ति इति)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग), संख्यावाचक

• शक्ति: power
• शक्ति: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• ऊर्जित: strengthened / vigorous
• ऊर्जित: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्जित (ऊर्ज् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• चेतसः: of mind
• चेतसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• त्रिशक्त्यूर्‌जितचेतसः: those whose minds were strengthened by three powers
• त्रिशक्त्यूर्‌जितचेतसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + शक्ति + ऊर्जित + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (येषां चेतः त्रिशक्त्या ऊर्जितं ते)

• चतुर्: four
• चतुर्: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग), संख्यावाचक

• उपाय: means / strategy
• उपाय: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• वित्तस्य: of knowledge/wealth (here: knowledge)
• वित्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चतुरोपायवित्तस्य: of him who knew the four means
• चतुरोपायवित्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + उपाय + वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चतुरुपायानां वित्तम्/ज्ञानम् यस्य)

• न: not
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• रन्ध्रम्: a gap / weak point
• रन्ध्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विविदुः: found / knew
• विविदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic depiction of the king encircled by six emblems (ṣāḍguṇya) and four instruments (caturupāya), with three radiant energies (triśakti) forming a luminous armor; gods searching for a ‘gap’ find none.

Characters & Entities

• Surāḥ (Devas)
• Ripuṃjaya (implied continuation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected not only by virtue but also by disciplined intelligence and prudent strategy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse supports Kāśī’s broader dharma-protecting narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it references nīti (statecraft): ṣāḍguṇya, triśakti, and caturopāya.