Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

चित्रांगदेश्वरप्राच्यां चित्रग्रीवां प्रणम्य च । न जातु जंतुर्वीक्षेत विचित्रां यमयातनाम्

Transliteration

citrāṃgadeśvaraprācyāṃ citragrīvāṃ praṇamya ca | na jātu jaṃturvīkṣeta vicitrāṃ yamayātanām

Translation

เมื่อกราบนอบน้อมจิตรครีวา (Citragrīvā) ณ ลานด้านตะวันออกของจิตรางคเทศวรแล้ว สัตว์โลกย่อมไม่เคยประสบเห็นทัณฑกรรมอันน่าสะพรึงและหลากหลายของยม

Word by Word

• चित्राङ्ग-देश्वर-प्राच्याम्: in the eastern (side) of Citrāṅgadeśvara
• चित्राङ्ग-देश्वर-प्राच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्राङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (चित्राङ्गदेश्वरस्य प्राची = in the eastern (part) of Citrāṅgadeśvara)

• चित्रग्रीवाम्: Citragrīvā (a deity/manifestation)
• चित्रग्रीवाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed to
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = having bowed

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक = and

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• जातु: ever
• जातु: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-निपात = ever/at any time

• जन्तुः: a creature/person
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वीक्षेत: should see
• वीक्षेत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विचित्राम्: variegated/terrible
• विचित्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यम-यातनाम्: Yama’s punishment/torment
• यम-यातनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य यातना = Yama’s torment/punishment)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Citrāṅgadeśvara-prācī (Citragrīvā)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim bows to Citragrīvā in the eastern courtyard of Citrāṅgadeśvara; behind them, a frightening tableau of Yama’s torments dissolves like a mirage.

Characters & Entities

• Citrāṅgadeśvara
• Citragrīvā
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana and reverence at Kāśī’s specific shrines confer liberation from post-mortem punishments described under Yama.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The eastern area of Citrāṅgadeśvara in Kāśī, where Citragrīvā is to be saluted.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing/salutation) and darśana at Citragrīvā near Citrāṅgadeśvara.