Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

ततः प्रहस्य गणपोऽब्रवीद्वै कुंठनायकम् । हे शार्ङ्गधन्वञ्जाने त्वां त्वं रणांगण पंडितः

Transliteration

tataḥ prahasya gaṇapo'bravīdvai kuṃṭhanāyakam | he śārṅgadhanvañjāne tvāṃ tvaṃ raṇāṃgaṇa paṃḍitaḥ

Translation

Da sprach, lachend, ein Anführer der Gaṇas zu dem stumpfen Befehlshaber: „O Śārṅgadhanvan, ich kenne dich – du bist wahrlich ein Meister des Schlachtfeldes.“

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thereafter)

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having laughed’

• गणपः: the gaṇa-leader
• गणपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• कुण्ठनायकम्: Kūṇṭha-nāyaka (the leader named Kūṇṭha)
• कुण्ठनायकम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (कुण्ठः नायकः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बोधनस्य कर्म (addressed object)

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• शार्ङ्गधन्वन्: O bearer of the Śārṅga bow
• शार्ङ्गधन्वन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + धन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शार्ङ्गस्य धन्वा यस्य), पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• जाने: I know
• जाने: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रणाङ्गण: O battlefield
• रणाङ्गण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रणस्य अङ्गणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे)

• पण्डितः: a learned/expert one
• पण्डितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Gaṇa leader (unnamed) within the narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gaṇa-commander laughs mid-battle and addresses Śārṅgadhanvan with ironic respect, pointing toward the battlefield as if inviting a worthy duel.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇa
• Śārṅgadhanvan (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in conflict, recognition of prowess appears; Purāṇic battles often include pointed speech that exposes ego and tests resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, but the verse itself is battle-dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.