Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

कूटदंताद्गणपतेरुदीच्यामेकदंतकः । सदोपसर्गसंसर्गात्पायादानंदकाननम्

Transliteration

kūṭadaṃtādgaṇapaterudīcyāmekadaṃtakaḥ | sadopasargasaṃsargātpāyādānaṃdakānanam

Translation

উত্তৰ দিশত কূটদন্ত গণপতিৰ পৰা একদন্তক অৱস্থিত। সদায় আপদ-উপদ্ৰৱৰ সংস্পৰ্শৰ পৰা তেওঁ কাশীৰ আনন্দকাননক ৰক্ষা কৰক।

Word by Word

• कूटदन्तात्: from (the place/region called) Kūṭadanta
• कूटदन्तात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूटदन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—कूट + दन्त (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

• गणपतेः: of Gaṇapati
• गणपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)

• उदीच्याम्: in the northern direction
• उदीच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• एकदन्तकः: Ekadantaka (the one-tusked one)
• एकदन्तकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकदन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—एक + दन्तक (कर्मधारय)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• उपसर्गसंसर्गात्: from the contact/association with afflictions
• उपसर्गसंसर्गात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसर्गसंसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—उपसर्ग + संसर्ग (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पायात्: may (he/it) protect
• पायात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-प्रायः आशिषि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—पा (रक्षणे)

• आनन्दकाननम्: the grove/forest of bliss (Ānandakānana)
• आनन्दकाननम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्दकानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—आनन्द + कानन (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana/Ānandavana sectoral Vināyaka (Ekadantaka)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A northern gate of the bliss-grove of Kāśī: Ekadantaka Vināyaka stands as a guardian, one tusk prominent, holding modaka and pāśa, with a protective aura pushing back shadowy ‘upasarga’ forms from the forested sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇapati
• Ekadantaka
• Kūṭadanta
• Ānandakānana
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering and honoring Ekadantaka in Kāśī is taught as a means of protection from recurring obstacles and afflictions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandakānana—described as a blissful sacred grove within the sacred geography of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No detailed rite is stated here; the verse functions as a protective benediction centered on Ekadantaka’s safeguarding power.