Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

चंडीचंडीश्वरौ दृश्यौ भवानीशंकरौ ततः । ढुंढिं प्रणम्य च ततो राजराजेशमर्चयेत्

Transliteration

caṃḍīcaṃḍīśvarau dṛśyau bhavānīśaṃkarau tataḥ | ḍhuṃḍhiṃ praṇamya ca tato rājarājeśamarcayet

Translation

Qu’on voie Caṇḍī et Caṇḍīśvara, puis Bhavānī et Śaṅkara. Après s’être incliné devant Ḍhuṇḍhi, qu’on adore alors Rājarājeśa.

Word by Word

• चण्डीचण्डीश्वरौ: Caṇḍī and Caṇḍīśvara
• चण्डीचण्डीश्वरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डी (प्रातिपदिक) + चण्डीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• दृश्यौ: to be seen; should be visited
• दृश्यौ: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय; भावे/कर्मणि)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/fit to be seen), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• भवानीशंकरौ: Bhavānī and Śaṅkara
• भवानीशंकरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवानी (प्रातिपदिक) + शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb)

• ढुंढिम्: Ḍhuṃḍhi (a deity)
• ढुंढिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ढुंढि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb)

• राजराजेशम्: Rājarājeśa (Lord of kings)
• राजराजेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); राज्ञां राजा इति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + ईश

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Caṇḍī; Caṇḍīśvara; Bhavānī; Śaṅkara; Ḍhuṇḍhi; Rājarājeśa (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim visits a fierce yet protective Caṇḍī shrine, then Caṇḍīśvara liṅga; then a gentle Bhavānī with Śaṅkara; then bows at a guardian Ḍhuṇḍhi spot; finally performs elaborate worship at Rājarājeśa with lamps and offerings, evoking royal splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍī
• Caṇḍīśvara
• Bhavānī
• Śaṅkara
• Ḍhuṇḍhi
• Rājarājeśa
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse celebrates the inseparability of Śakti and Śiva in Kāśī—seeing both leads the pilgrim to royal devotion (Rājarājeśa) grounded in reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Caṇḍī/Caṇḍīśvara, Bhavānī-Śaṅkara, Ḍhuṇḍhi, and Rājarājeśa—shrines in the Kāśī pilgrimage network.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana of the deities, pranāma to Ḍhuṇḍhi, and explicit arcana (worship) of Rājarājeśa.