Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

दीर्घग्रीवोथ पिंगाक्षः पिंगलः पिंगमूर्धजः । बहुनेत्रो लंबकर्णः खर्वः पर्वतविग्रहः

Transliteration

dīrghagrīvotha piṃgākṣaḥ piṃgalaḥ piṃgamūrdhajaḥ | bahunetro laṃbakarṇaḥ kharvaḥ parvatavigrahaḥ

Translation

次いでディールガグリーヴァ、ピンガークシャ、ピンガラ、ピンガムールダジャ、またバフネートラ、ランバカルナ、カルヴァ、パルヴァタヴィグラハ——異相あらわで、巨大な威容を備えたガナたち。

Word by Word

• दीर्घग्रीवः: long-necked
• दीर्घग्रीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘दीर्घा ग्रीवा यस्य’ (long-necked)

• अथ: then; and
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक (then/and then)

• पिङ्गाक्षः: tawny-eyed
• पिङ्गाक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘पिङ्गे अक्षिणी यस्य’ (having tawny eyes)

• पिङ्गलः: tawny; brownish
• पिङ्गलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (tawny/brownish)

• पिङ्गमूर्धजः: tawny-haired
• पिङ्गमूर्धजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘पिङ्गाः मूर्धजाः (केशाः) यस्य’ (tawny-haired)

• बहुनेत्रः: many-eyed
• बहुनेत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘बहूनि नेत्राणि यस्य’ (many-eyed)

• लम्बकर्णः: long-eared
• लम्बकर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘लम्बौ कर्णौ यस्य’ (long-eared)

• खर्वः: dwarfish; short
• खर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (dwarf/short)

• पर्वतविग्रहः: mountain-bodied; of mountain-like form
• पर्वतविग्रहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘पर्वतस्य इव विग्रहः’/‘पर्वत-सदृश-विग्रहः’ (mountain-like form)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage audience in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame (traditionally Śaunaka/ṛṣis in Purāṇic narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession-like catalogue of Śiva’s gaṇas in Kāśī—each with distinctive physiognomy (long neck, tawny eyes, many eyes, long ears, dwarf-like, mountain-bodied), standing as a living rampart around the sacred city.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (context)
• Śiva (implied)
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred realm is upheld by countless forms of divine agency—difference of form does not lessen sanctity when it serves Dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, as the implied protected sacred space in this adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.