Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

झोटिंगा राक्षसाः क्रूरा विष सर्पाग्नि दस्यवः । वेतालाश्चापि कंकाल ग्रहा बालग्रहा अपि

Transliteration

jhoṭiṃgā rākṣasāḥ krūrā viṣa sarpāgni dasyavaḥ | vetālāścāpi kaṃkāla grahā bālagrahā api

Translation

ทั้งโจฏิงคะ อสูรรากษสผู้โหดร้าย พิษ งู ไฟ และโจร; อีกทั้งเวตาละ กังกาละ เคราะห์จากครหะ และเคราะห์ที่ฉุดเด็ก (พาลครหะ) — ภยันตรายเหล่านี้ล้วนถูกขับไล่ด้วยการคุ้มครองนี้

Word by Word

• झोटिङ्गाः: jhoṭiṅgas (a class of spirits)
• झोटिङ्गाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झोटिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• राक्षसाः: demons
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• क्रूराः: cruel
• क्रूराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); विशेषणम्

• विष: poison
• विष: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular) (समाहारार्थे)

• सर्प: snakes
• सर्प: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनार्थे (collective)

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular) (समाहारार्थे)

• दस्यवः: robbers
• दस्यवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• वेतालाः: vetālas
• वेतालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (also)

• कङ्काल: skeleton(-spirits)
• कङ्काल: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कङ्काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनार्थे (collective)

• ग्रहाः: seizing spirits; grahas
• ग्रहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• बालग्रहाः: child-afflicting grahas
• बालग्रहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल-ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (also/even)

Speaker

Durgā (Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general protective circuit)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The practitioner/devotee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A catalogue of dangers—rākṣasas, poison, serpents, fire, thieves, vetālas, skeletal kaṅkālas, and planetary afflictions—are shown recoiling from an unseen protective field generated by the hymn.

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Rākṣasa
• Vetāla
• Graha
• Bālagraha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine refuge is portrayed as comprehensive protection—physical, social, and supernatural.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa context, where sacred recitations are celebrated as guardians for devotees in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, the continued use/recitation of the stotra as a protective kavaca against listed dangers.