Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

द्वादशश्च यमादित्यः काशिपुर्यां घटोद्भव । तमोऽधिकेभ्यो दुष्टेभ्यः क्षेत्रं रक्षंत्यमी सदा

Transliteration

dvādaśaśca yamādityaḥ kāśipuryāṃ ghaṭodbhava | tamo'dhikebhyo duṣṭebhyaḥ kṣetraṃ rakṣaṃtyamī sadā

Translation

اور بارہواں یمادیہ ہے۔ اے گھٹودبھَو! یہ سب ہمیشہ کاشی پوری کے مقدس کھیتر کی حفاظت کرتے ہیں، اُن بدکار ہستیوں سے جو تاریکی میں ڈوبی ہوئی ہیں۔

Word by Word

• dvādaśaḥ: the twelfth
• dvādaśaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masc., Nom., Sg.); क्रमवाचक/गणनावाचक (as ‘the twelfth’)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (indeclinable conjunction)

• yamādityaḥ: Yamāditya
• yamādityaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + āditya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (यम-सम्बन्धी आदित्यः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masc., Nom., Sg.)

• kāśī-puryām: in Kāśī city
• kāśī-puryām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (काश्यां पुरी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Fem., Loc., Sg.)

• ghaṭa-udbhava: O Ghaṭodbhava (born from a pot)
• ghaṭa-udbhava: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (घटात् उद्भवः); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Masc., Voc., Sg.)

• tamaḥ: darkness
• tamaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.)

• adhikebhyaḥ: from those who are excessive/abounding (in it)
• adhikebhyaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचन (Masc., Abl., Pl.)

• duṣṭebhyaḥ: from the wicked
• duṣṭebhyaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from duṣ)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचन (Masc., Abl., Pl.)

• kṣetram: the sacred region/field
• kṣetram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc., Sg.)

• rakṣanti: protect
• rakṣanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd, Pl.)

• amī: these (ones)
• amī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masc., Nom., Pl.; demonstrative pronoun)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Avyaya (Temporal modifier/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable; adverb of time)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yamāditya (within Dvādaśa-Āditya of Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ghaṭodbhava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yamāditya as a solar form with a stern yet luminous aura stands at a symbolic gate of Kāśī; the twelve Ādityas form a radiant protective circle around the city, pushing back shadowy figures representing tamas and wickedness.

Characters & Entities

• Yamāditya
• Kāśīpuri
• Ghaṭodbhava (Agastya epithet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is a protected sacred realm; divine forces guard it against tamasic and harmful influences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśīpuri as a kṣetra under the guardianship of twelve Ādityas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the focus is on kṣetra-rakṣā (protection of the sacred field).