Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । विश्वेशो विश्वया सार्धं मया च मुनिसत्तम । महाशाखविशाखाभ्यां नंदिभृंगिपुरोगमः

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | viśveśo viśvayā sārdhaṃ mayā ca munisattama | mahāśākhaviśākhābhyāṃ naṃdibhṛṃgipurogamaḥ

Translation

Skanda said: O best of sages, Viśveśa (Śiva), accompanied by Viśvā (the Goddess) and by me, proceeded with Nandin and Bhṛṅgin in front, and with Mahāśākha and Viśākha alongside—setting forth in splendor toward the holy realm.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विश्वेशः: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विश्वया: with Viśvā (the goddess)
• विश्वया: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (particle meaning 'together/with')

• मया: with me
• मया: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; मुनि + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• महाशाखविशाखाभ्याम्: with Mahāśākhā and Viśākhā
• महाशाखविशाखाभ्याम्: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाशाख-विशाखा (प्रातिपदिक; महाशाख + विशाखा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे द्विवचन-प्रयोगः), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• नन्दिभृङ्गिपुरोगमः: having Nandi and Bhṛṅgī in front
• नन्दिभृङ्गिपुरोगमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नन्दि-भृङ्गि-पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक; नन्दि + भृङ्गि + पुरोगम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'यस्य पुरोगमौ नन्दिभृङ्गी'

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra) / Viśveśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a best of sages (munisattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand divine yātrā: Viśveśa with Viśvā (Devī) and Skanda, Nandin and Bhṛṅgin leading, with Mahāśākha and Viśākha flanking; the city/kshetra ahead glows as a sacred destination.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Viśvā (Goddess)
• Nandin
• Bhṛṅgin
• Mahāśākha
• Viśākha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s movement toward Kāśī is portrayed as a sacred procession, teaching that approaching Kāśī is itself an auspicious, dharma-filled act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the city of Viśveśvara, is the implied sacred destination being glorified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is prescribed here; the verse sets the devotional scene of the Lord’s auspicious journey.