Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तदा विविशतुः काश्यां सूर्याचंद्रमसावपि । न गणैरकृतानुज्ञौ तत्तेजः शमितप्रभौ

Transliteration

tadā viviśatuḥ kāśyāṃ sūryācaṃdramasāvapi | na gaṇairakṛtānujñau tattejaḥ śamitaprabhau

Translation

Then even the Sun and the Moon entered Kāśī; yet, since they had not obtained permission from Śiva’s gaṇas, their radiance was subdued and their splendor made calm.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'then')

• विविशतुः: (they) entered
• विविशतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• सूर्य: the Sun
• सूर्य: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थे प्रथमपद)

• चन्द्रमसौ: and the Moon (the two)
• चन्द्रमसौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• गणैः: by the gaṇas (attendants)
• गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अकृत-अनुज्ञौ: (the two) not having obtained permission
• अकृत-अनुज्ञौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृत (कृ धातु-क्त, कृदन्त) + अनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अकृता अनुज्ञा यस्य/ययोः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tejasः)

• तेजः: splendour, radiance
• तेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शमित-प्रभौ: whose brilliance was subdued
• शमित-प्रभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शमित (शम् धातु-क्त, कृदन्त) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (शमिता प्रभा ययोः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Primary interlocutors of Kāśīkhaṇḍa (traditional frame: sages/Śaunaka-group or equivalent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sun and Moon enter the luminous city of Kāśī but their brilliance is gently subdued at the threshold by Śiva’s gaṇas, emphasizing the kṣetra’s superior, inner radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Candra (Moon)
• Śiva-gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is governed by Śiva’s sacred order; even cosmic powers must honor the dharma of that holy space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as a uniquely regulated and Śiva-protected sacred realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes reverence and proper authorization within the sacred domain.