Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

तथैव भैरवाश्चाष्टौ दिक्ष्वष्टासु प्रतिष्ठिताः । रक्षंति सततं काशीं निर्वाणश्रीनिकेतनम्

Transliteration

tathaiva bhairavāścāṣṭau dikṣvaṣṭāsu pratiṣṭhitāḥ | rakṣaṃti satataṃ kāśīṃ nirvāṇaśrīniketanam

Translation

Ebenso sind acht Bhairavas in den acht Himmelsrichtungen aufgestellt. Unablässig beschützen sie Kāśī, die Wohnstatt des Glanzes der Befreiung (nirvāṇa).

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: 'thus')

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• भैरवाः: Bhairavas
• भैरवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); बहुवचन

• अष्टासु: in the eight (directions)
• अष्टासु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (दिश्-शब्दस्य विशेषणम्)

• प्रतिष्ठिताः: stationed/established
• प्रतिष्ठिताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicative adjective/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); बहुवचन

• सततम्: always
• सततम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adverbial/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• काशीम्: Kashi
• काशीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• निर्वाणश्रीनिकेतनम्: the abode of the glory of liberation
• निर्वाणश्रीनिकेतनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण-श्री-निकेतन (प्रातिपदिक; निर्वाण + श्री + निकेतन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निर्वाणस्य श्रीः यस्य तत्/निर्वाणश्रीणां निकेतनम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mandala-like vision of Kāśī with eight Bhairavas stationed at the eight directions, forming a protective circle around the luminous mokṣa-city; the city glows like a jewel while guardians stand vigilant at cardinal and intercardinal points.

Characters & Entities

• Bhairava
• Kāśī
• Vārāṇasī
• Nirvāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a divinely guarded liberation-field, protected by Bhairava powers in all directions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), celebrated as the abode of mokṣa/nirvāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes the protective divine arrangement around Kāśī.