गणावूचतुः । सखे सुखं समाख्यावो नानाख्येयं तवाग्रतः । अध्वखेदापनोदाय पुनरस्याः पुरः कथाम्
gaṇāvūcatuḥ | sakhe sukhaṃ samākhyāvo nānākhyeyaṃ tavāgrataḥ | adhvakhedāpanodāya punarasyāḥ puraḥ kathām
Los Gaṇas dijeron: «Amigo, con gusto te contaremos, ante ti, lo que merece ser narrado. Para disipar el cansancio del camino, escucha de nuevo la historia de esta ciudad, tal como la relatamos.»
Śiva’s Gaṇas
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śivaśarmā (addressed as ‘sakhā’)
Scene: The gaṇas speak warmly to their companion, offering to retell Kāśī’s story as the group pauses from travel; a path with dust, resting posture, city in near distance.
Sacred narration (kathā) itself is restorative—removing fatigue and strengthening devotion.
Kāśī, whose māhātmya is about to be narrated by Śiva’s attendants.
No formal ritual; the implied practice is śravaṇa (listening) to the city’s māhātmya.