Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अस्यां प्रभंजनो नाम जगत्प्राणोदिगीश्वरः । आराध्य श्रीमहादेवं दिक्पालत्वमवाप्तवान्

Transliteration

asyāṃ prabhaṃjano nāma jagatprāṇodigīśvaraḥ | ārādhya śrīmahādevaṃ dikpālatvamavāptavān

Translation

Ici, Prabhañjana—Vāyu, souffle vital du monde et seigneur des directions—ayant adoré le glorieux Mahādeva, obtint la charge de gardien d’un point cardinal.

Word by Word

• अस्याम्: in this (place)
• अस्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (pronoun form)

• प्रभंजनः: Prabhañjana (name of a being/wind)
• प्रभंजनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhaṃjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Specifier (नाम-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नाम-शब्दः (particle indicating ‘by name’)

• जगत्प्राणोदिगीश्वरः: lord of the directions, (as) life-breath of the world
• जगत्प्राणोदिगीश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat-prāṇa-dik-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक; जगत् + प्राण + दिक् + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः (निर्धारण/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष)

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘आराध्य’ = ‘आराधनं कृत्वा’; धातुः √राध् (to please/worship) उपसर्गः आ-

• श्रीमहादेवम्: Śrī Mahādeva (Shiva)
• श्रीमहादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + महादेव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय-समासः

• दिक्पालत्वम्: the status of a guardian of the directions
• दिक्पालत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dik-pāla-tva (प्रातिपदिक; दिक् + पाल + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भाववाचक-त्व-प्रत्ययान्त

• अवाप्तवान्: obtained/attained
• अवाप्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; √आप् (to obtain) उपसर्गः अव-

Speaker

Narrator voice within Kāśīkhaṇḍa (deduced as Skanda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāyu/Prabhañjana, personified as a radiant deva with flowing scarves and wind-swirls, stands before Mahādeva in Kāśī, receiving the insignia of a dikpāla amid billowing banners and sacred lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhañjana (Vāyu)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Dikpāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic powers gain authority through devotion to Mahādeva—Śiva-worship is presented as the source of divine offices and order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Vāyu-associated spot in Kāśī connected with Pavaneśvara, where Vāyu’s worship is remembered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (worship) of Mahādeva is the implied practice.