Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अशेषविघ्नसंहर्त्री त्वशेषगुणगुंफिता । अज्ञानतिमिरज्योतिरनुग्रहपरायणा

Transliteration

aśeṣavighnasaṃhartrī tvaśeṣaguṇaguṃphitā | ajñānatimirajyotiranugrahaparāyaṇā

Translation

Du vernichtest alle Hindernisse, aus jeder edlen Eigenschaft gewoben. Du bist das Licht für die Finsternis der Unwissenheit, ganz der Barmherzigkeit und Gnade hingegeben.

Word by Word

• अशेषविघ्नसंहर्त्री: destroyer of all obstacles
• अशेषविघ्नसंहर्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + संहर्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विघ्नानां संहर्त्री) with विशेषण अशेष

• त्व: you
• त्व: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्व (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; vocative-emphasis/‘you indeed’ (tva)

• अशेषगुणगुंफिता: woven/filled with all virtues
• अशेषगुणगुंफिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + गुंफित (कृदन्त; √गुंफ्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) ‘गुंफित’ = woven/strung; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अशेषगुणैः गुंफिता/अशेषगुणगुंफिता)

• अज्ञानतिमिरज्योतिः: light (that dispels) the darkness of ignorance
• अज्ञानतिमिरज्योतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्योति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अज्ञानतिमिरस्य ज्योतिः)

• अनुग्रहपरायणा: devoted to grace/favor
• अनुग्रहपरायणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अनुग्रहे परायणा/अनुग्रहपरायणा)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī as a radiant lamp in a darkened sanctum; shadowy forms symbolizing obstacles crumble; a garland of virtues encircles her; devotees on Kāśī ghāṭa steps receive her light.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The puranic tīrtha is compassionate power: Gaṅgā removes impediments and awakens inner clarity through grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā in Kāśī, approached as the merciful remover of obstacles for pilgrims and householders alike.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific prescription; the verse itself functions as stotra-style invocation for vighna-śānti.