Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

भवत्स्वेतेषु चान्येषु एतां विंध्यवासिनीम् । धृत्यानेष्यति बुद्ध्या वा बलेनापि च्छलेन वा

Transliteration

bhavatsveteṣu cānyeṣu etāṃ viṃdhyavāsinīm | dhṛtyāneṣyati buddhyā vā balenāpi cchalena vā

Translation

ในหมู่พวกท่าน—และในหมู่อื่น ๆ ด้วย—จักมีผู้หนึ่งนำพระวินธยวาสินีนี้มาที่นี่ ด้วยความแน่วแน่ ไม่ว่าด้วยอุบาย ด้วยกำลัง หรือแม้ด้วยเล่ห์กล

Word by Word

• भवत्सु: among you
• भवत्सु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतेषु: among these
• एतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्येषु: among others
• अन्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• एताम्: this (her)
• एताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विंध्यवासिनीम्: Vindhya-dwelling (goddess)
• विंध्यवासिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (वस् धातु, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—विंध्यस्य वासिनी

• धृत्या: by resolve/steadfastness
• धृत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नेष्यति: will bring/lead
• नेष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुद्ध्या: by intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• बलेन: by force
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• छलेन: by deceit
• छलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vindhyavāsinī (Vindhyācala)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of demons debating methods—strategy, force, deception—to bring Vindhyavāsinī from her mountain abode; the Vindhya massif looms in the background like a living deity-seat.

Characters & Entities

• Vindhyavāsinī
• Daityas
• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights intent and resolve in action, while also implying that means (strategy/force/deceit) carry moral weight within dharma narratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vindhya (through Vindhyavāsinī) is invoked, while the textual frame remains within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns a mission-oriented command within the story.