Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

सांगा व्याहृतयो यत्र शुभा सोपानवीथिकाः । सूर्याचंद्रमसौ यत्र सततं द्वाररक्षकौ

Transliteration

sāṃgā vyāhṛtayo yatra śubhā sopānavīthikāḥ | sūryācaṃdramasau yatra satataṃ dvārarakṣakau

Translation

Dort werden die heiligen Vyāhṛtis mit ihren aṅgas zu glückverheißenden Stufen und Wegen; und dort stehen Sonne und Mond unablässig als Wächter des Tores.

Word by Word

• साङ्गाः: with all parts/limbs (complete)
• साङ्गाः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (स-अङ्ग = 'with limbs/parts')

• व्याहृतयः: the vyāhṛtis (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ etc.)
• व्याहृतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याहृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• शुभाः: auspicious
• शुभाः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• सोपानवीथिकाः: stairways/stepped paths
• सोपानवीथिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोपान (प्रातिपदिक) + वीथिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुष (सोपानानां वीथिकाः = 'stair-ways/paths with steps')

• सूर्य: the Sun
• सूर्य: Karta (part of compound subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद)

• चन्द्रमसौ: the Moon
• चन्द्रमसौ: Karta (part of compound subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सूर्य + चन्द्रमसौ = द्वन्द्व (समाहार/युग्म) रूपेण संयुक्त-उल्लेख

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• द्वाररक्षकौ: the two door-guards
• द्वाररक्षकौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्वारस्य रक्षकौ)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa default dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (dvāra/threshold)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand gate of Kāśī where the steps and lanes are inscribed as luminous vyāhṛtis; above, Sun and Moon appear as sentinels with regal posture, marking the entrance as cosmic and Vedic.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāhṛti
• Sūrya
• Candra
• Kāśī (implied by section context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching Kāśī is itself a sacred ascent: Vedic utterances shape the path, and cosmic powers protect the threshold.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), envisioned as a mantra-built city with cosmic gatekeepers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded; the verse frames entry into Kāśī as inherently sanctified by Vedic recitation and cosmic order.