Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

दाता धर्मार्थकामानां शास्ता दुर्नयकारिणाम् । अजेयस्त्वं च संग्रामे ममापि हि भविष्यसि

Transliteration

dātā dharmārthakāmānāṃ śāstā durnayakāriṇām | ajeyastvaṃ ca saṃgrāme mamāpi hi bhaviṣyasi

Translation

تو ہی دھرم، ارتھ اور کام کا داتا ہے؛ بدچلنوں کو سزا دینے والا حاکم ہے۔ تو جنگ میں ناقابلِ شکست ہے؛ اور میرے لیے بھی یقیناً سہارا اور محافظ رہے گا۔

Word by Word

• दाता: giver
• दाता: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—तृच्/तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्म-अर्थ-कामानाम्: of dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्म-अर्थ-कामानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (धर्मश्च अर्थश्च कामश्च)

• शास्ता: ruler/discipliner
• शास्ता: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—तृच्/तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘नियन्ता/शिक्षक’

• दुर्नय-कारिणाम्: of those who act with bad conduct / wrongdoers
• दुर्नय-कारिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्नय (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—दुर्नयं कुर्वन्ति ये

• अजेयः: unconquerable
• अजेयः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + जेय (प्रातिपदिक; √जि)
• Form: कृदन्त—यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘जेय’ + नञ्-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (अपि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• भविष्यसि: you will be
• भविष्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Maheśa (Śiva) praising Hari (Viṣṇu), as indicated by the surrounding narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The deity as benefactor and guardian: one hand bestows (varada), another assures fearlessness (abhaya). Behind, a subdued scene of a battlefield dissolves into calm, indicating ‘unconquerable in battle’ as spiritual and moral victory; a stern yet compassionate aura suggests chastisement of wrongdoing.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord grants legitimate human aims while restraining unrighteousness; divine power protects devotees and upholds moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-māhātmya narrative, where devotion and divine protection are celebrated as Kāśī’s spiritual promise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it affirms divine governance (śāsana) and the fruits aligned with dharma.