Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अथातः सत्सुतारासु ताराधिप वराननः । केंद्रे गुरौ शुभे लग्ने सुग्रहेष्वयुगेषु च

Transliteration

athātaḥ satsutārāsu tārādhipa varānanaḥ | keṃdre gurau śubhe lagne sugraheṣvayugeṣu ca

Translation

وبعد ذلك، حين سادت المنازل القمرية المباركة، وكان القمرُ—سيّدُ النجوم، جميلَ المحيّا—مع المشتري (غورو) في موضعٍ زاويٍّ محمود، ومع طالعٍ سعدٍ وكواكبَ مُسعِدةٍ في الأقسام الفردية، غدا الوقت بالغَ اليُمن.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अधिकार/अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (particle)

• अतः: thereupon
• अतः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुबोधक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thereafter/thereupon’)

• सत्सुतारासु: among auspicious stars (nakṣatras)
• सत्सुतारासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सु- (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—सत्/सु तारा इति (उत्तम-तारासु)

• ताराधिप: O lord of stars
• ताराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘ताराणाम् अधिपः’

• वराननः: the one with a beautiful face
• वराननः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘वरम् आननम् यस्य’

• केन्द्रे: in the kendra (angular house)
• केन्द्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गुरौ: when Jupiter (Guru) is (placed)
• गुरौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शुभे: in an auspicious
• शुभे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘लग्ने’ इति विशेषणम्

• लग्ने: ascendant
• लग्ने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सुग्रहेषु: when benefic planets are (present)
• सुग्रहेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु- (पूर्वपद) + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘सु(शुभ) ग्रहाः’

• अयुगेषु: on odd (non-even) ones
• अयुगेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘(तिथिषु/दिनेषु)’ इति अध्याहारः

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night-to-dawn sky over Kāśī with bright Moon near Jupiter, auspicious constellations indicated; below, priests consult a pañcāṅga while preparing for a rite, lamps glowing.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)
• Guru (Jupiter)
• lagna (ascendant)
• nakṣatra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma values acting in harmony with auspicious cosmic order—choosing favorable times for sacred life-events.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Kāśī-māhātmya; this verse itself highlights auspicious timing rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates selecting a favorable muhūrta: auspicious nakṣatra, benefic ascendant, and supportive planetary placements (Moon and Jupiter, benefics).