Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

प्राङ्मुखस्तूपविश्येशः सहास्माभिः सहेशया । ब्रह्मणाधिष्ठितः सव्ये वामपार्श्वेथ शार्ङ्गिणा

Transliteration

prāṅmukhastūpaviśyeśaḥ sahāsmābhiḥ saheśayā | brahmaṇādhiṣṭhitaḥ savye vāmapārśvetha śārṅgiṇā

Translation

Facing east, the Lord sat upon the raised seat, together with us and with the Goddess. On his right side sat Brahmā, and then on his left side was Viṣṇu, bearer of the Śārṅga bow.

Word by Word

• प्राङ्मुखः: east-facing
• प्राङ्मुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) ईशस्य

• तूपविशि-ईशः: the Lord at/near Tūpaviśi (epithet)
• तूपविशि-ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तूपविशि (प्रातिपदिक; स्थान/विशेषण) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सह-योगे (with; preposition-like)

• अस्माभिः: by/with us
• अस्माभिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सह-योगे (with)

• ईशया: with the Goddess (Īśā/Umā)
• ईशया: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• अधिष्ठितः: seated/placed
• अधिष्ठितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (passive sense)

• सव्ये: on the left side
• सव्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाम-पार्श्वे: on the left flank/side
• वाम-पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थ (then/and)

• शार्ङ्गिणा: by Śārṅgin (Viṣṇu, bearer of Śārṅga bow)
• शार्ङ्गिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śṛṅgāra-maṇḍapa (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva sits facing east on an elevated seat with Devī; Brahmā is placed to the right, Viṣṇu to the left holding the Śārṅga bow—an iconographic tableau of cosmic governance within a Kāśī maṇḍapa.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśa)
• Pārvatī (Īśā)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu (Śārṅgin)
• Kāśī (implied context)
• Śṛṅgāra-maṇḍapa (implied continuation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as the cosmic court where the highest deities honor Śiva, teaching reverence and unity of divine functions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śṛṅgāra-maṇḍapa within Kāśī is implied as the setting for this divine seating and darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse establishes a darśana-setting that supports worshipful contemplation (dhyāna) of Śiva with the Devī.