Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

गणेन तेन विज्ञाय शंभोरथ मनोगतम् । पाशेन बद्ध्वा तद्यादः शिशुहस्ते समर्पितम्

Transliteration

gaṇena tena vijñāya śaṃbhoratha manogatam | pāśena baddhvā tadyādaḥ śiśuhaste samarpitam

Translation

Daraufhin erkannte jener Gaṇa Śambhus Absicht, band das Wasserwesen mit einer Schlinge und legte es in die Hände des Kindes.

Word by Word

• गणेन: by the attendant (gaṇa)
• गणेन: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him / by that
• तेन: Sambandha (anaphoric)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन

• विज्ञाय: having understood
• विज्ञाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक; धातु: वि+ज्ञा (to know)

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रसङ्गसूचक अव्यय (then/now)

• मनोगतम्: what was in (his) mind
• मनोगतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्-गत (प्रातिपदिक; components: मनस् + गत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'मनसि गतं' (what is in the mind)

• पाशेन: with a noose
• पाशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• बद्ध्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), धातु: बन्ध् (to bind)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• यादः: the water-creature
• यादः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Vedic/epic usage: यादः as acc. sg.)

• शिशुहस्ते: in the child's hand
• शिशुहस्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक; components: शिशु + हस्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'शिशोः हस्ते'

• समर्पितम्: was handed over / delivered
• समर्पितम्: Kriya (result/state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अर्प् (धातु) → समर्पित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे परिणाम/स्थितिवाचक

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda to Agastya, contextually)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kshetra (Viśveśvara’s domain)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce yet controlled gaṇa binds the aquatic creature with a noose and places it into the child’s hands—an astonishing reversal where danger is subdued and returned as proof of rescue.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Gaṇa (Śiva’s attendant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the Lord wills protection, even terrifying forces are restrained and rendered harmless.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, where Śiva’s sovereignty operates through his gaṇas for devotees’ welfare.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on Śiva’s command and the gaṇa’s swift action.