Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

न मात्रा न दुहित्रा वा न स्वस्रैकांतशीलता । बलवंतीद्रियाण्यत्र मोहयंत्यपि कोविदान्

Transliteration

na mātrā na duhitrā vā na svasraikāṃtaśīlatā | balavaṃtīdriyāṇyatra mohayaṃtyapi kovidān

Translation

یہاں نہ ماں، نہ بیٹی، نہ ہی سخت پردہ نشین بہن اصل سبب ہے؛ اصل میں حواس نہایت طاقتور ہیں، جو داناؤں کو بھی فریبِ موہ میں ڈال دیتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• mātrā: mother
• mātrā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• duhitrā: daughter
• duhitrā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duhitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• svasraikāntaśīlatā: the sister’s exclusive devotion/attachment
• svasraikāntaśīlatā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + ekānta (प्रातिपदिक) + śīlatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): 'स्वसुः एकान्त-शीलता'

• balavatī: powerful
• balavatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• indriyāṇi: senses
• indriyāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative Plural)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• mohayanti: delude
• mohayanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative: मोहयति (to delude)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• kovidān: the wise/learned
• kovidān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative Plural)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative sādhaka in Kāśī stands near a ghat, eyes lowered, while symbolic senses (horses) pull toward distractions; a calm inner light restrains them, with Viśvanātha’s spire in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• indriya (senses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse teaches that the true danger is not other people, but one’s own uncontrolled senses; self-restraint is the core protection of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Varanasi/Kāśī) framework, where ethical discipline is presented as part of Kāśī’s sacred dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the instruction is ethical—guarding the senses (indriya-nigraha) and avoiding delusion.