Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43
दीर्घग्रीवोथ पिंगाक्षः पिंगलः पिंगमूर्धजः । बहुनेत्रो लंबकर्णः खर्वः पर्वतविग्रहः
dīrghagrīvotha piṃgākṣaḥ piṃgalaḥ piṃgamūrdhajaḥ | bahunetro laṃbakarṇaḥ kharvaḥ parvatavigrahaḥ
ثم كان ديرغَغْريفا، وبِنْغاكْشا، وبِنْغَلا، وبِنْغاموردْهَجا؛ وباهونِترا، ولامْبَكَرْنا، وخَرْفا، وبارْفَتَفِغْرَها—غَناتٌ بسماتٍ مهيبةٍ وحضورٍ عظيم.
Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative style)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sage audience in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame (traditionally Śaunaka/ṛṣis in Purāṇic narration)
Scene: A procession-like catalogue of Śiva’s gaṇas in Kāśī—each with distinctive physiognomy (long neck, tawny eyes, many eyes, long ears, dwarf-like, mountain-bodied), standing as a living rampart around the sacred city.
FAQs
The sacred realm is upheld by countless forms of divine agency—difference of form does not lessen sanctity when it serves Dharma.
Kāśī, as the implied protected sacred space in this adhyāya.
None.