Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

देवानां च तथर्षीणां सिद्धानां फणिनामपि । आनीय मंगलकराः कन्याः षोडशषोडश

Transliteration

devānāṃ ca tatharṣīṇāṃ siddhānāṃ phaṇināmapi | ānīya maṃgalakarāḥ kanyāḥ ṣoḍaśaṣoḍaśa

Translation

Et l’on amena des jeunes filles de bon augure, venues d’entre les dieux, les ṛṣis, les Siddhas et même les seigneurs des serpents, seize et seize, par groupes.

Word by Word

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (also/likewise)

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• सिद्धानाम्: of the siddhas
• सिद्धानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• फणिनाम्: of the serpents (nāgas)
• फणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपातः (also/even)

• आनीय: having brought
• आनीय: Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थक) अव्ययभावः; ‘आनयित्वा’ (having brought)

• मंगलकराः: auspicious-bringing
• मंगलकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—मङ्गलकर = मङ्गलं करोति इति (auspicious-making)

• कन्याः: maidens
• कन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• षोडशषोडश: sixteen and sixteen (two groups of sixteen)
• षोडशषोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्यापद-प्रयोगः; द्वन्द्व/पुनरुक्त-संख्या: षोडश + षोडश (= sixteen and sixteen; i.e., two sets of sixteen)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-assembly (frame assumed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand pavilion where radiant maidens appear in orderly groups—some with deva-like luminosity, some ascetic-ṛṣi lineage, some siddha aerial grace, some nāga-regal ornaments—each bearing auspicious items for the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Ṛṣis
• Siddhas
• Nāgas (Phaṇins)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred ceremony is portrayed as universally auspicious, drawing participants from multiple realms—signifying cosmic harmony around dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting; the verse focuses on ceremonial attendance rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions arranging maṅgala attendants (kanyās) in specified numbers (sixteen and sixteen), a common Purāṇic motif for auspicious rites.