Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

धत्तूरकरवीरादि बहुधोपविषाणि च । क्रीडाकलहमात्रेण भक्षयच्चैष दुर्मतिः

Transliteration

dhattūrakaravīrādi bahudhopaviṣāṇi ca | krīḍākalahamātreṇa bhakṣayaccaiṣa durmatiḥ

Translation

یہ بدباطن آدمی محض بچوں کے کھیل اور جھگڑے کی خاطر دھتورا اور کرویر وغیرہ جیسے طرح طرح کے ہلکے زہروں کو بھی کھا لیتا تھا۔

Word by Word

• धत्तूरकरवीरादि: dattūra, oleander, and the like
• धत्तूरकरवीरादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धत्तूर + करवीर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—धत्तूर-करवीर-आदि (आदिशब्देन समाहारः)

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• उपविषाणि: secondary poisons / poisonous substances
• उपविषाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपविष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• क्रीडाकलहमात्रेण: by mere play/quarrel
• क्रीडाकलहमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा + कलह + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—क्रीडा-कलह-मात्र (मात्र-शब्देन ‘केवलम्’)

• भक्षयत्: eats / devours
• भक्षयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमा-पुरुष, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले ‘भक्षयति’ इत्यर्थे (sandhi/metrical form)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एष: this (man)
• एष: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुर्मतिः: evil-minded one
• दुर्मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reckless man, driven by petty quarrels, consumes poisonous plants (dhattūra, karavīra) in a grim moral tableau; in the background, the sacred aura of Kāśī contrasts with his folly.

Characters & Entities

• dhattūra
• karavīra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It condemns reckless, self-destructive behavior driven by petty impulses, showing how adharma degrades discernment (mati).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this verse; it remains within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s larger Kāśī framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse narrates harmful conduct.