Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

नवीकृत्य पुनः काशी निर्विष्टा तेन भूभुजा । गणेशमायया राज्यात्परिनिर्विण्णचेतसा

Transliteration

navīkṛtya punaḥ kāśī nirviṣṭā tena bhūbhujā | gaṇeśamāyayā rājyātparinirviṇṇacetasā

Translation

After renewing Kāśī once again, that king settled there; and, through Gaṇeśa’s divine power, his mind grew utterly detached from worldly rule.

Word by Word

• नवीकृत्य: having renewed
• नवीकृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नवी-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having renewed'

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• काशी: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• काशी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निर्विष्टा: was entered/occupied
• निर्विष्टा: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भूभुजा: by the king
• भूभुजा: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (भूः 'पृथ्वी' + भुज् 'भोजक/पालक' = 'earth-ruler')

• गणेशमायया: by Gaṇeśa's illusion/power
• गणेशमायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश-माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गणेशस्य माया)

• राज्यात्: from the kingdom
• राज्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• परिनिर्विण्णचेतसा: with a disenchanted mind
• परिनिर्विण्णचेतसा: Karana (Accompaniment/Instrumental of state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-नि-√विद्/√विज् (धातु; निर्वेदे) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (निर्विण्णं चेतः यस्य/निर्विण्णचेतस्)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from Kāśī-khaṇḍa Avimukta/Viśvanātha context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer (traditional frame: sages/Śaunaka-type audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Divodāsa renews Kāśī—restoring ghāṭas, temples, and streets—then sits contemplative, crown set aside, as Gaṇeśa’s subtle power turns his mind away from sovereignty.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Gaṇeśa
• Divodāsa (contextual king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contact with Kāśī and divine grace can transform power into renunciation—true sovereignty culminates in detachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, presented as a place whose sanctity supports both restoration (navīkaraṇa) and liberation-minded dispassion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the verse highlights sacred renewal of the city and the inner rite of vairāgya (dispassion).