Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

दीक्षितो योश्वमेधानां शतस्य कुलिशायुधः । दुर्वाससा क्षणेनापि नीतो निःश्रीकतां हि सः

Transliteration

dīkṣito yośvamedhānāṃ śatasya kuliśāyudhaḥ | durvāsasā kṣaṇenāpi nīto niḥśrīkatāṃ hi saḥ

Translation

Yaong may sandatang kulis (kulog), na naitalaga para sa sandaang Aśvamedha—tunay na sa isang kisapmata, dahil kay Durvāsas, siya’y dinala sa pagkawala ng ningning at karangalan.

Word by Word

• dīkṣitaḥ: initiated/consecrated
• dīkṣitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dīkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘दीक्षित’

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• aśvamedhānām: of horse-sacrifices
• aśvamedhānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• śatasya: of a hundred
• śatasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• kuliśa-āyudhaḥ: he whose weapon is the thunderbolt
• kuliśa-āyudhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Epithet/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuliśa (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘कुलिशम् आयुधं यस्य सः’

• durvāsasā: by Durvāsas
• durvāsasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durvāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kṣaṇena: in a moment
• kṣaṇena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• nītaḥ: was led/brought
• nītaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः

• niḥśrīkatām: to poverty/ill-fortune
• niḥśrīkatām: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niḥśrīkatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Dadhīci

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience / interlocutor in Kāśī narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (vajrāyudha-bearing) in royal consecration imagery for grand Aśvamedhas, suddenly dimmed—his aura fading—while Durvāsas stands stern, ascetic, with blazing eyes; the contrast of opulence and ascetic power is central.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Durvāsas
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual achievements alone do not guarantee lasting prosperity; arrogance and offense can swiftly destroy even divine splendor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s teaching-context: the narrative is used to correct misconceptions about auspiciousness and spiritual power associated with the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reference to Aśvamedha-dīkṣā (consecration for horse-sacrifices), illustrating ritual magnitude rather than prescribing it.