Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

यदि कोपि कृतज्ञो मां हत्वेमं दुष्टदानवम् । मद्दत्तेन त्रिशूलेन नयेद्भद्रं भवेन्नरः

Transliteration

yadi kopi kṛtajño māṃ hatvemaṃ duṣṭadānavam | maddattena triśūlena nayedbhadraṃ bhavennaraḥ

Translation

หากมีผู้ใดกตัญญูเพื่อข้าฯ ฆ่าทานวะผู้ชั่วนี้ ด้วยตรีศูลที่ข้าฯ มอบให้ ผู้นั้นย่อมบรรลุความผาสุกและมงคลแน่นอน

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Clause-link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/सम्भावना-बोधक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• कः: someone (who)
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• कृतज्ञः: grateful
• कृतज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘grateful’

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having slain’

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुष्टदानवम्: this wicked demon
• दुष्टदानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-समास-पूर्वपद (genitive base) ‘my’

• दत्तेन: given (by me)
• दत्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘given’

• त्रिशूलेन: with a trident
• त्रिशूलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नयेत्: should lead/bring
• नयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भद्रम्: good fortune, welfare
• भद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant figure offers a trident to a potential hero, urging him to slay the wicked dānava; the trident glows as a destined instrument of justice.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava (Kaṃkālaketu implied)
• Triśūla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gratitude and righteous protection of others bring auspicious merit; dharma rewards courageous service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the merit-language supports the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader message of dharma and sacred protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it states a dharmic act (slaying a wicked oppressor with the proper means) and its fruit (bhadra).