Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

प्रत्यंगणं प्रतिगृहं प्राविशद्योगिनीगणः । इत्थमब्दंचरंत्यस्ता योगिन्योऽहर्निशं पुरि

Transliteration

pratyaṃgaṇaṃ pratigṛhaṃ prāviśadyoginīgaṇaḥ | itthamabdaṃcaraṃtyastā yoginyo'harniśaṃ puri

Translation

The host of Yoginīs entered every courtyard and every house; in this manner, those Yoginīs wandered through the city day and night for a whole year.

Word by Word

• प्रति: towards; to; each
• प्रति: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/पूर्वपदसदृश (preposition-like)

• अङ्गणम्: courtyard
• अङ्गणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• प्रति: to; each
• प्रति: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• प्राविशत्: entered
• प्राविशत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. impf.)

• योगिनीगणः: the group of yoginīs
• योगिनीगणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yoginīnāṃ gaṇaḥ)

• इत्थम्: thus; in this manner
• इत्थम्: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• अब्दम्: a year
• अब्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.); कालवाचक

• चरन्त्यः: moving about; roaming
• चरन्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (pres. act. ptc. fem. nom. pl.)

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (fem. nom. pl.)

• योगिन्यः: yoginīs
• योगिन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (fem. nom. pl.)

• अहर्निशम्: day and night
• अहर्निशम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहः + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय; द्वन्द्वसमास (day-and-night) क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण

• पुरि: in the city
• पुरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर्/पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (loc. sg.)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession-like scatter of yoginīs slipping into every courtyard—doorways, balconies, inner rooms—under alternating sun and moon, marking a full year’s cycle over Kāśī’s rooftops.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Yoginīs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, the divine presence is depicted as continuous and vigilant, suggesting the city’s exceptional sanctity and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as “puri,” the sacred city where extraordinary beings circulate.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive of the Yoginīs’ continual movement.