Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

धृत्वा पारषदीं मूर्तिमायातावंबिकांतिकम् । तावत्यंतं सुदुर्वृत्तावतिचंचलमानसा

Transliteration

dhṛtvā pāraṣadīṃ mūrtimāyātāvaṃbikāṃtikam | tāvatyaṃtaṃ sudurvṛttāvaticaṃcalamānasā

Translation

Mang hình dạng các thị giả, chúng tiến đến gần Ambikā—hai kẻ cực ác ấy, tâm trí dao động dữ dội, bồn chồn không yên.

Word by Word

• धृत्वा: having assumed/held
• धृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: धृ; अर्थे: 'having held/taken'

• पारषदीम्: attendant-like / of a female attendant
• पारषदीम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारषदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मूर्तिम्: form, body
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• आयातौ: (the two) came
• आयातौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle) from आ+या; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'having come' (came)

• अम्बिकान्तिकम्: to Ambikā’s vicinity
• अम्बिकान्तिकम्: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense / destination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासवत् प्रयोगः; 'अम्बिकायाः अन्तिकम्' इति; गत्यर्थे अव्ययवत् (to the vicinity of Ambikā)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• अत्यन्तम्: excessively, very much
• अत्यन्तम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• सुदुर्वृत्तौ: very wicked (the two)
• सुदुर्वृत्तौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषणम्; 'सु' उपसर्गार्थे तीव्रता

• अति: excessively
• अति: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preverb/adverb)

• चञ्चलमानसौ: with fickle minds
• चञ्चलमानसौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय: 'चञ्चलं मानसं यस्य' (as descriptive compound)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Ambikā-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two wicked beings, disguised as female attendants, slip into the Goddess Ambikā’s vicinity; their faces betray agitation despite the costume.

Characters & Entities

• Ambikā (Devī)
• Vidala
• Utpala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Deceit and inner instability mark adharma; spiritual steadiness (sthira-manas) is implied as the opposite virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting in Kāśīkhaṇḍa; the narrative enhances its Mahātmya by depicting divine presence and protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription appears in this verse.