Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

क्षीरार्णवाधिपतितामुपमन्युरवाप्तवान् । अंधकोप्यभवद्भृंगी गाणपत्यपदोर्जितः

Transliteration

kṣīrārṇavādhipatitāmupamanyuravāptavān | aṃdhakopyabhavadbhṛṃgī gāṇapatyapadorjitaḥ

Translation

Upamanyu erlangte die Herrschaft über den Milchozean; und selbst Andhaka wurde zu Bhṛṅgī und gewann den erhabenen Rang unter Śivas Gaṇas.

Word by Word

• क्षीरार्णवाधिपतिताम्: the lordship of the Milk Ocean
• क्षीरार्णवाधिपतिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीरार्णवाधिपतिता (प्रातिपदिक; क्षीर + अर्णव + अधिपति + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (‘क्षीरार्णवस्य अधिपतिः’ → ‘अधिपतिता’ = lordship)

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवाप्तवान्: having obtained
• अवाप्तवान्: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रियाविशेषण-प्रधान)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्तवत् (प्रातिपदिक; अव + आप् (धातु) + क्तवतुँ)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तवतुँ-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकर्तरि ‘having obtained’

• अंधकः: Andhaka
• अंधकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also’

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भृंगी: Bhṛṅgī (a gaṇa)
• भृंगी: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-समाप्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृंगी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नाम)

• गाणपत्यपदः: the status/position of a gaṇa of Gaṇapati
• गाणपत्यपदः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाणपत्यपद (प्रातिपदिक; गाणपत्य + पद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (‘गणपतेः सम्बन्धि पदम्’)

• ऊर्जितः: strengthened; exalted
• ऊर्जितः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; ऊर्ज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गाणपत्यपदस्य/भृंगीणः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two vignettes: Upamanyu receiving a conch-and-lotus-like insignia of lordship over the Milk Ocean; Andhaka transformed into Bhṛṅgī, marked by ascetic gaṇa iconography, standing near Śiva’s retinue.

Characters & Entities

• Upamanyu
• Kṣīrārṇava (Ocean of Milk)
• Andhaka
• Bhṛṅgī
• Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s devotion can elevate devotees to extraordinary sovereignty and even transform former adversaries into divine attendants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context glorifies Śiva-centered sacred space—Kāśī—where Śiva’s gaṇa-status and grace are thematically celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the verse lists exemplary results of Śiva’s favor and association.