Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

व्याघ्रेश्वरं वराहेशं व्यासेशं वृषभध्वजम् । वरुणेशं विधीशं वा वसिष्ठेशं शनीश्वरम्

Transliteration

vyāghreśvaraṃ varāheśaṃ vyāseśaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam | varuṇeśaṃ vidhīśaṃ vā vasiṣṭheśaṃ śanīśvaram

Translation

(ആർക്കും) വ്യാഘ്രേശ്വരൻ, വരാഹേശൻ, വ്യാസേശൻ, വൃഷഭധ്വജനായ പ്രഭു, വരുണേശൻ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ വിധീശൻ; കൂടാതെ വസിഷ്ഠേശനും ശനീശ്വരനും പൂജിക്കാം.

Word by Word

• व्याघ्रेश्वरम्: Lord of the tiger (name/epithet of Śiva)
• व्याघ्रेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्याघ्रस्य ईश्वरः)

• वराहेशम्: Lord of the boar (Varāheśa)
• वराहेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वराहस्य ईशः)

• व्यासेशम्: Lord of Vyāsa / Vyāseśa
• व्यासेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य ईशः)

• वृषभध्वजम्: He whose banner is the bull (Śiva)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृषभस्य ध्वजः)

• वरुणेशम्: Varuṇeśa (lord associated with Varuṇa)
• वरुणेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वरुणस्य ईशः)

• विधीशम्: Lord of Brahmā / Vidhīśa
• विधीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विधेः/ब्रह्मणः ईशः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• वसिष्ठेशम्: Vasiṣṭheśa
• वसिष्ठेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वसिष्ठस्य ईशः)

• शनीश्वरम्: Śanīśvara (lord associated with Saturn)
• शनीश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शनैः/शनैश्चरस्य ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-liṅga-samūha (named liṅgas listed)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī moves from shrine to shrine, each liṅga marked by its distinctive emblematic association (tiger/boar/sage/bull-banner), with temple lamps and Gaṅgā’s presence implied.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāghreśvara
• Varāheśa
• Vyāseśa
• Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
• Varuṇeśa
• Vidhīśa
• Vasiṣṭha
• Vasiṣṭheśa
• Śanīśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is shown as embracing sages, deities, and even graha-devatās through Śiva-forms—suggesting all cosmic forces are reconciled in Śiva’s kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, via multiple īśvara-shrines including Śanīśvara and Varuṇeśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the list supports pilgrimage worship, including graha-related devotion at Śanīśvara.