Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

छागवक्त्रो विरूपास्यो दधीचि परिधिक्कृतः । प्रायश्चित्तविधानार्थं सूपदिष्टः स्वयंभुवा

Transliteration

chāgavaktro virūpāsyo dadhīci paridhikkṛtaḥ | prāyaścittavidhānārthaṃ sūpadiṣṭaḥ svayaṃbhuvā

Translation

ผู้มีหน้าดุจแพะและโฉมอันพิกล ถูกท่านทธีจิประณามติเตียน; เพื่อให้รู้วิธีปฺรายัศจิตตะอันถูกต้อง พระสฺวยัมภูพรหมาได้ทรงสั่งสอนด้วยพระองค์เอง

Word by Word

• छागवक्त्रः: having a goat-face
• छागवक्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छाग (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (छागस्य वक्त्रम् यस्य)

• विरूपास्यः: with a deformed mouth/face
• विरूपास्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विरूपम् आस्यम्)

• दधीचिः: Dadhīci (sage)
• दधीचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परिधिक्कृतः: encircled/placed within a boundary
• परिधिक्कृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिधि (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृ-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘परिधिना कृतः/परिधौ कृतः’ (encircled/placed within a boundary)

• प्रायश्चित्तविधानार्थम्: for the purpose of prescribing expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तविधानार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (प्रायश्चित्तस्य विधानस्य अर्थम्)

• सूपदिष्टः: well instructed/advised
• सूपदिष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उप (उपसर्ग) + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: दिश्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गयुक्तः (सुप्रकारेण उपदिष्टः)

• स्वयंभुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (continuing the narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (implicit frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disgraced being with a goat-like face stands humbled; the sage Dadhīci’s reproach is implied; Brahmā (Svayambhū) instructs calmly, holding a manuscript/lotus, indicating the codified method of expiation.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Dadhīci
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Moral and ritual order (dharma) includes prāyaścitta: after wrongdoing, one should accept correction and follow prescribed atonement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Kāśī-centered Dakṣeśvara account, setting up why Dakṣa seeks purification connected to Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta-vidhāna—formal procedures of expiation—are explicitly indicated (details follow in the broader narrative).