Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

प्रवेशो यमदूतानां न कदाचिद्द्विजोत्तम । मध्ये काशीपुरी क्वापि रक्षिणस्तत्र तद्गणाः

Transliteration

praveśo yamadūtānāṃ na kadāciddvijottama | madhye kāśīpurī kvāpi rakṣiṇastatra tadgaṇāḥ

Translation

O best of brāhmaṇas, the messengers of Yama never—at any time—enter the heart of the city of Kāśī; for there Śiva’s hosts stand as guardians.

Word by Word

• praveśaḥ: entry
• praveśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yama-dūtānām: of Yama’s messengers
• yama-dūtānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘यमस्य दूताः’

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• kadācit: ever
• kadācit: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (ever/at any time)

• dvija-uttama: O best of the twice-born
• dvija-uttama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘द्विजानाम् उत्तमः’

• madhye: within
• madhye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; (in the middle/within)

• kāśī-purī: the city of Kāśī
• kāśī-purī: Adhikarana (Locative sense implied/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘काशी एव पुरी’

• kvāpi: anywhere
• kvāpi: Desha (Adverbial location/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक अनिश्चितता (anywhere)

• rakṣiṇaḥ: guards
• rakṣiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Desha (Location/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• tad-gaṇāḥ: their troops
• tad-gaṇāḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘तेषां गणाः’ (their groups/retinues)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa interlocutor (‘dvijoत्तम’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Kāśī’s sacred boundary, fierce yet benevolent Śiva-gaṇas stand guard with tridents and maces; shadowy Yama-dūtas halt outside, unable to cross; the city interior glows with sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Yamadūta
• Kāśīpurī
• Gaṇa (Śiva’s hosts)
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is depicted as a protected sphere of Śiva where the fear of Yama’s agents is nullified by divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśīpurī (Varanasi), safeguarded by Śiva’s gaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the verse reinforces faith in Kāśī-kṣetra as a refuge under Śiva’s protection.