Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 853

Devanagari script

रक्षः काष्ठां शंकुकर्णो दृमिचंडो मरुद्दिशम् । इत्थं क्षेत्रं सदा पांति गणा एतेऽति भास्वराः

Transliteration

rakṣaḥ kāṣṭhāṃ śaṃkukarṇo dṛmicaṃḍo maruddiśam | itthaṃ kṣetraṃ sadā pāṃti gaṇā ete'ti bhāsvarāḥ

Translation

Śaṅkukarṇa guards the quarter of the Rākṣasas, and Dṛmicaṇḍa the direction of the Wind-god. In this manner these exceedingly radiant Gaṇas always protect the sacred Kṣetra (Kāśī).

Word by Word

• रक्षः: the Rākṣasa quarter/direction
• रक्षः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; दिशावाचक-प्रयोगे ‘रक्षः (दिशम्)’ = दक्षिण-पश्चिमादि राक्षसी दिशा (contextual)

• काष्ठाम्: direction/quarter
• काष्ठाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘काष्ठा’ = दिशा/quarter

• शङ्कुकर्णः: Śaṅkukarṇa (a gaṇa)
• शङ्कुकर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कु + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—शङ्कुवत् कर्णौ यस्य

• दृमिचण्डः: Dṛmicaṇḍa (a gaṇa)
• दृमिचण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृमि + चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—दृमिः चण्डः (नामरूपेण)

• मरुद्दिशम्: the Marut quarter (wind-direction)
• मरुद्दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—मरुतां दिश् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• इत्थम्: thus/in this way
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

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

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पान्ति: protect
• पान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गणाः: the gaṇas
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अति: very/exceedingly
• अति: Sambandha (Intensifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier/adverb)

• भास्वराः: radiant
• भास्वराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya / pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant protective tableau: two fierce yet auspicious gaṇas—Śaṅkukarṇa and Dṛmicaṇḍa—stand at their assigned quarters, weapons and ornaments gleaming, with an invisible protective circle around Kāśī’s skyline and ghāṭas.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkukarṇa
• Dṛmicaṇḍa
• Marut (Wind deity)
• Gaṇa
• Kāśī-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as divinely protected—Śiva’s gaṇas guard its directions, underscoring the kṣetra’s sanctity and safety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra (Vārāṇasī), described as continuously protected by radiant gaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, mapping sacred directional guardianship within the kṣetra.