Skanda Purana
स्कन्दपुराण
The Largest Mahapurana
The most extensive of the eighteen Mahapuranas -- a vast compendium of sacred geography, tirtha mahatmya, pilgrimage lore, and devotional narratives spanning the length and breadth of Bharatavarsha.
Start ReadingAbout This Book
The Skanda Purana is the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, traditionally attributed to Vyasa and narrated by Skanda (Kartikeya) to the sages. With approximately 75,943 verses organized across seven Khandas and twenty-six Sections, it is an encyclopedic guide to India's sacred landscape -- celebrating tirthas, temples, rivers, and mountains from Kedarnath to Rameswaram, from Kashi to Somnath.
How This Book Is Organised
The Skanda Purana is structured across seven Khandas, each containing multiple Sections.
Khandas
Seven major divisions
Sections
26 thematic sections
Adhyayas
~1,965 chapters
Shlokas
~75,943 verses
Available Reading Features
Original Sanskrit verses (Devanagari)
Transliteration for guided reading
Word-by-word meanings
Clear, faithful translations
Tirtha mahatmya, pilgrimage context, and sacred geography
Khandas of the Skanda Purana
The Skanda Purana is traditionally divided into seven Khandas.
Each Khanda celebrates the sacred geography of a distinct region of Bharatavarsha.
Māheśvarakhaṇḍa
The Section of Mahesvara (Shiva)
The largest khanda, covering Kedara, Kaumarika, Arunachala, and other Shaiva sacred sites with extensive tirtha mahatmya.
Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa
The Section of Vishnu
Vaishnava sacred geography, the glory of Purushottama Kshetra (Jagannath Puri), Badrinath, and Vishnu avatara narratives.
Brahmakhaṇḍa
The Section of Brahma
Covers Setubandha (Rameswaram), Dharmaranya, and the Brahma-related sacred geography of southern India.
Kāśīkhaṇḍa
The Section on Kashi (Varanasi)
The celebrated Kashi Khanda glorifying Varanasi as the supreme tirtha, Shiva's eternal abode on earth.
Āvantyakhaṇḍa
The Section on Avanti (Ujjain)
Sacred geography of Avanti (Ujjain), the Mahakaleshwar temple, and the pilgrimage sites of central India.
Nāgarakhaṇḍa
The Section on Nagara
Tirtha mahatmya of Nagara (modern Vadnagar and surrounding Gujarat), Hatkeshwar, and other western Indian sacred sites.
Prabhāsakhaṇḍa
The Section on Prabhasa
Glorification of Prabhasa Kshetra (Somnath), Dvaraka, and the pilgrimage sites of Saurashtra.