Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

प्राच्यां तु क्षेत्ररक्षार्थं सिद्धः सिद्धिविनायकः । पश्चिमे यमतीर्थस्य साधकक्षिप्रसिद्धिदः

Transliteration

prācyāṃ tu kṣetrarakṣārthaṃ siddhaḥ siddhivināyakaḥ | paścime yamatīrthasya sādhakakṣiprasiddhidaḥ

Translation

In the east, to safeguard the sacred kṣetra, stands the accomplished Siddhi‑Vināyaka; and in the west, at Yama‑tīrtha, he grants practitioners swift attainment and renown.

Word by Word

• prācyām: in the east
• prācyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prācī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक

• kṣetra-rakṣā-artham: for the protection of the sacred field
• kṣetra-rakṣā-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक) + rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• siddhaḥ: Siddha (the accomplished one)
• siddhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेष्य (name/title)

• siddhi-vināyakaḥ: Siddhi-Vināyaka
• siddhi-vināyakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + vināyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपाधि/नाम

• paścime: in the west
• paścime: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• yama-tīrthasya: of Yama-tīrtha
• yama-tīrthasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• sādhaka-kṣipra-siddhi-daḥ: giver of quick success to practitioners
• sādhaka-kṣipra-siddhi-daḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-समास, ‘द’ = दाता (giver)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yama-tīrtha (within Kāśī’s western sacred circuit)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Traditionally) sages such as Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya assembly / or a principal interlocutor in Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred map-like vision of Kāśī: in the east stands Siddhi-Vināyaka as a guardian; in the west, near Yama-tīrtha, another Vināyaka grants swift siddhi to sādhakas—pilgrims moving between directional shrines with Gaṅgā in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Siddhi-Vināyaka
• Yama-tīrtha
• Kāśī
• Vināyaka (Gaṇeśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is presented as a divinely protected sacred mandala where Gaṇeśa both guards the kṣetra and accelerates spiritual accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Siddhi-Vināyaka in the eastern sector of Kāśī, and Yama-tīrtha in the western sector.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is prescribed; the verse promises kṣetra-rakṣā (protection) and kṣipra-siddhi (swift success) to sādhakas.