Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

संप्रधार्येति हृदये देवदेवेन शूलिना । प्रैषिष्ट प्रमथानां तु ततो गणचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

saṃpradhāryeti hṛdaye devadevena śūlinā | praiṣiṣṭa pramathānāṃ tu tato gaṇacatuṣṭayam

Translation

Nachdem der Gott der Götter, der Dreizackträger, dies in seinem Herzen beschlossen hatte, entsandte er daraufhin aus den Pramathas eine Vierergruppe.

Word by Word

• संप्रधार्य: having reflected
• संप्रधार्य: Sambandha (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संप्रधार्य (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु + सम्/प्र- उपसर्ग, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-रूपेण क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय; 'having considered'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• हृदये: in (his) heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; Locative

• देवदेवेन: by the god of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Agent in passive/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः)

• शूलिना: by the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिना: Karana (Agent in passive/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; Instrumental; epithet 'trident-bearer'

• प्रैषिष्ट: (he) sent
• प्रैषिष्ट: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु; प्रेरणे) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'he sent'

• प्रमथानाम्: of the Pramathas
• प्रमथानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• तु: then / but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• गणचतुष्टयम्: a group of four (gaṇas)
• गणचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणानां चतुष्टयम्)

Speaker

Skanda (narration reporting Śiva’s act)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, the trident-bearer, after resolving in his heart, dispatches a quartet of gaṇas from among the Pramathas.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Devadeva, Śūlin)
• Pramathas
• Gaṇacatuṣṭaya (four gaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sacred order is shown as divinely instituted: Śiva deliberately assigns his forces to uphold the dhāma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Kāśī Māhātmya narrative framework; the immediate focus is the dispatch toward Kāśī rather than a single shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates Śiva’s inner resolve and the sending of attendants.