Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ततो वाराणसीं प्राप्य गीर्वाणाः समहर्षयः । अविलंबं प्रथमतो म णिकर्ण्यां विधानतः

Transliteration

tato vārāṇasīṃ prāpya gīrvāṇāḥ samaharṣayaḥ | avilaṃbaṃ prathamato ma ṇikarṇyāṃ vidhānataḥ

Translation

Puis, parvenus à Vārāṇasī, les dieux avec les grands sages, sans délai, se rendirent d’abord—selon l’ordonnance rituelle—à Maṇikarṇikā.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Desha-Kala (Sequence/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• वाराणसीम्: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular feminine)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having reached)

• गीर्वाणाः: the gods (speakers of divine speech)
• गीर्वाणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Nominative plural masculine)

• समहर्षयः: great sages
• समहर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + हर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Nominative plural masculine); कर्मधारयः (महान्तः हर्षयः)

• अविलम्बम्: without delay
• अविलम्बम्: Kriya (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अविलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रथमतः: first, at first
• प्रथमतः: Kriya (Sequence/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + तसिल्
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (firstly)

• मणिकर्ण्याम्: at Maṇikarṇī (Maṇikarṇikā)
• मणिकर्ण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Locative singular feminine)

• विधानतः: according to prescribed procedure
• विधानतः: Kriya (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तसिल्
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त; विधिपूर्वकं (according to rule)

Speaker

Parāśara (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta and the assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand arrival: devas and great ṛṣis enter Vārāṇasī; they move directly to Maṇikarṇikā on the Ganga, with ghāṭa steps, lamps, and sacred bustle.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Kāśī
• Maṇikarṇikā
• Devas
• Maharṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Entering Kāśī is approached with reverence and order—beginning one’s pilgrimage at the foremost tīrtha, Maṇikarṇikā, in accordance with dharmic procedure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā in Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), presented as the first destination upon arrival.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To proceed first to Maṇikarṇikā and act “vidhānataḥ”—according to prescribed rites (implying snāna and related observances).