Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

प्रातःस्नानं विधायादौ नत्वा पंचविनायकान् । नमस्कृत्वाथ विश्वेशं स्थित्वा निर्वाणमंडपे

Transliteration

prātaḥsnānaṃ vidhāyādau natvā paṃcavināyakān | namaskṛtvātha viśveśaṃ sthitvā nirvāṇamaṃḍape

Translation

First, having performed the morning bath, one should bow to the Five Vināyakas. Then, having paid homage to Viśveśa, the Lord of the Universe, one should stand in the Nirvāṇa-maṇḍapa.

Word by Word

• प्रातःस्नानम्: morning bath
• प्रातःस्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (प्रातः + स्नानम्)

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकर्म; धातु: धा, उपसर्ग: वि-

• आदौ: at first
• आदौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), अर्थे: ‘प्रथमम्/आरम्भे’

• नत्वा: having bowed to
• नत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), धातु: नम्

• पञ्चविनायकान्: the five Vināyakas (Gaṇeśas)
• पञ्चविनायकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विनायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च + विनायकाः)

• नमस्कृत्वा: having paid obeisance
• नमस्कृत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); धातु: कृ; उपपद-समास/योग: नमस् + कृ (नमस्कृ)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तर्य-बोधक)

• विश्वेशम्: Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• विश्वेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य ईशः)

• स्थित्वा: having stood
• स्थित्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); धातु: स्था

• निर्वाणमण्डपे: in the Nirvāṇa pavilion
• निर्वाणमण्डपे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (निर्वाणस्य मण्डपः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nirvāṇa-maṇḍapa (within Viśveśvara precinct)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at dawn, wet hair and simple cloth, hands folded; small Gaṇeśa shrines (five) in a row; then the towering presence of Viśveśvara; finally a pillared hall labeled Nirvāṇa-maṇḍapa where the pilgrim stands in stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Pañca-vināyaka
• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Nirvāṇa-maṇḍapa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity (snāna), obstacle-removal (Vināyaka), and Śiva-darśana form the correct order for Kāśī pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viśveśa (Kāśī Viśvanātha) and the Nirvāṇa-maṇḍapa, along with the Pañca-vināyaka sites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Morning bath → bow to the Five Vināyakas → salute Viśveśa → stand in Nirvāṇa-maṇḍapa.