Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

रक्षंति क्षेत्रमेतद्वै तथान्या नवशक्तयः । उपसर्गसहस्रेभ्यस्ता वैदिग्देवताक्रमात्

Transliteration

rakṣaṃti kṣetrametadvai tathānyā navaśaktayaḥ | upasargasahasrebhyastā vaidigdevatākramāt

Translation

Indeed, this sacred field is protected also by those other nine Śaktis; in the ordered array of the deities of the directions, they guard it from thousands of calamities.

Word by Word

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred area/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषणम् (क्षेत्रम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/पादपूरण (emphatic particle)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (thus/also)

• अन्याः: other
• अन्याः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (नवशक्तयः)

• नवशक्तयः: the nine powers
• नवशक्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (नव संख्या-पूर्वकः)

• उपसर्गसहस्रेभ्यः: from thousands of afflictions
• उपसर्गसहस्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उपसर्गाणां सहस्रेभ्यः)

• ताः: they
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक

• दिग्देवताक्रमात्: according to the order of the directional deities
• दिग्देवताक्रमात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दिशां देवतानां क्रमः; तस्मात्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Navāśakti-rakṣā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic yet sacred vision of Kāśī as a mandala: nine Śaktis stationed at directional points, each radiating protective light, forming a fortress against ‘thousands of calamities’.

Characters & Entities

• Nine Śaktis (Navāśakti)
• Directional deities (Digdevatāḥ)
• Kāśī-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is presented as a divinely structured mandala where protective powers operate in ordered harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-kṣetra as a protected mandala guarded by Navāśakti and the directional divine order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, honoring the Navāśakti and the kṣetra’s directional divine arrangement as part of devotional practice.