Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तथैव भूतधात्रीशः क्षेत्रदक्षिणरक्षकः । गोकर्णः पश्चिमद्वारं पाति कोटिगणावृतः

Transliteration

tathaiva bhūtadhātrīśaḥ kṣetradakṣiṇarakṣakaḥ | gokarṇaḥ paścimadvāraṃ pāti koṭigaṇāvṛtaḥ

Translation

Likewise, Bhūtadhātrīśa stands as the guardian of the southern side of the holy kṣetra (Kāśī); and Gokarṇa—surrounded by crores of Gaṇas—protects the western gate.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle/emphasis)

• भूतधात्रीशः: Lord of Bhūtadhātrī (a gaṇa/guardian)
• भूतधात्रीशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + धात्री + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतधात्रीणाम् ईशः)

• क्षेत्रदक्षिणरक्षकः: protector of the southern side of the sacred area
• क्षेत्रदक्षिणरक्षकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + दक्षिण + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रस्य दक्षिणस्य रक्षकः)

• गोकर्णः: Gokarṇa
• गोकर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• पश्चिमद्वारम्: the western gate
• पश्चिमद्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पश्चिमं द्वारम्)

• पाति: protects/guards
• पाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कोटिगणावृतः: surrounded by crores of gaṇas
• कोटिगणावृतः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि + गण + आवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ ‘to cover’ + आ-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (कोटिगणैः आवृतः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred map-like vision of Kāśī: Bhūtadhātrīśa as southern guardian and Gokarṇa at the western gate, both surrounded by innumerable gaṇas, standing vigilant at the city’s luminous boundary with Gaṅgā in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Bhūtadhātrīśa
• Gokarṇa
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a divinely protected sacred field, safeguarded by Śiva’s gaṇas in every direction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as a kṣetra with directional gates and gaṇa-guardians.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes protective guardianship of the sacred space.