Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

हयग्रीवेश्वरे तीर्थे लोलार्कादुत्तरे सदा । महारुंडा प्रचंडास्या तिष्ठते भक्तविघ्नहृत्

Transliteration

hayagrīveśvare tīrthe lolārkāduttare sadā | mahāruṃḍā pracaṃḍāsyā tiṣṭhate bhaktavighnahṛt

Translation

At the Hayagrīveśvara Tīrtha, ever to the north of Lolārka, stands Mahāruṇḍā of fierce visage—she who removes obstacles for devotees.

Word by Word

• hayagrīva-īśvare: at Hayagrīveśvara
• hayagrīva-īśvare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hayagrīva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (hayagrīvasya īśvare)

• tīrthe: in the sacred ford/place
• tīrthe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• lolārkāt: from Lolārka
• lolārkāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lolārka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• uttare: to the north
• uttare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (स्थाने) ‘in the northern (part)’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya (Verbal adjunct/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• mahā-ruṇḍā: Mahāruṇḍā
• mahā-ruṇḍā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ruṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः

• pracaṇḍa-āsyā: she whose face is fierce
• pracaṇḍa-āsyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pracaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (प्रचण्डम् आस्यम् यस्याः)

• tiṣṭhate: stands/abides
• tiṣṭhate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• bhakta-vighna-hṛt: remover of devotees’ obstacles
• bhakta-vighna-hṛt: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vighna (प्रातिपदिक) + hṛt (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, √hṛ ‘to take away’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (bhaktānāṃ vighnān hṛṇoti iti)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hayagrīveśvara Tīrtha (near Lolārka)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small shrine at Hayagrīveśvara Tīrtha; Mahāruṇḍā with fierce face stands as guardian; directional cue: Lolārka to the south, indicating a pilgrim moving northward; obstacles dissolving around devotees.

Characters & Entities

• Hayagrīveśvara Tīrtha
• Lolārka
• Mahāruṇḍā
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion in Kāśī is supported by guardian Śakti who actively removes impediments, ensuring the pilgrim’s dharmic journey.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hayagrīveśvara Tīrtha in Kāśī, located to the north of Lolārka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit worship/approach to Mahāruṇḍā for vighna-nāśa (obstacle removal); no explicit snāna/dāna/japa is stated.