Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

स्वयमागत्य देवेन मंदरात्सुंदरां पुरीम् । वाराणसीं प्रथमतस्तुष्टुवे गणनायकम्

Transliteration

svayamāgatya devena maṃdarātsuṃdarāṃ purīm | vārāṇasīṃ prathamatastuṣṭuve gaṇanāyakam

Translation

Then the God himself came from Mandara to the beautiful city of Vārāṇasī, and first of all he praised Gaṇanāyaka (the leader of the Gaṇas).

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — adverb

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund)

• देवेन: by the god (i.e., Śiva)
• देवेन: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• मन्दरात्: from Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन — ablative singular

• सुन्दराम्: beautiful
• सुन्दराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; qualifies ‘पुरीम्’

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• वाराणसीम्: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; apposition to ‘पुरीम्’

• प्रथमतः: first/at first
• प्रथमतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथमतः (अव्यय; प्रथमा-तस्)
• Form: अव्यय — adverb (tasil)

• तुष्टुवे: praised
• तुष्टुवे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — 3rd sg perfect; परस्मैपद-रूप (irregular perfect)

• गणनायकम्: the leader of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa)
• गणनायकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणानां नायकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda, in Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (with Gaṇanāyaka/Vināyaka-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (context established in following verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant deity arrives from Mandara to Kāśī’s riverfront; before any other act, he bows and hymns Gaṇanāyaka—Gaṇeśa enthroned near a gateway/ghāṭa, surrounded by gaṇas, with Kāśī’s temples rising behind.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Mandara (mountain)
• Gaṇanāyaka (Gaṇeśa/Vināyaka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In sacred undertakings, honoring Gaṇanāyaka first signifies removing obstacles and aligning oneself with divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is explicitly celebrated as a beautiful, divinely visited sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied devotional order: praise/worship of Gaṇanāyaka first (prathamataḥ) before other acts.