Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

आहूय पूर्वं ब्रह्मादीन्समस्तान्देवतागणान् । विद्याधरोरगादींश्च सिद्धगंधर्वचारणान्

Transliteration

āhūya pūrvaṃ brahmādīnsamastāndevatāgaṇān | vidyādharoragādīṃśca siddhagaṃdharvacāraṇān

Translation

ആദ്യം ബ്രഹ്മാദികളായ എല്ലാ ദേവഗണങ്ങളെയും വിളിച്ചു കൂട്ടി; പിന്നെ വിദ്യാധരന്മാർ, നാഗങ്ങൾ, സിദ്ധന്മാർ, ഗന്ധർവന്മാർ, ചാരണന്മാർ എന്നിവരെയും ആഹ്വാനിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह्वे (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वकाले (having called/summoned)

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: 'first/before')

• ब्रह्मादीन्: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-समास: 'Brahmā and others'); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समस्तान्: all, entire
• समस्तान्: Visheshaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying brahmādīn)

• देवतागणान्: groups of deities
• देवतागणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवतायाः गणाः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विद्याधर: Vidyādharas
• विद्याधर: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्याधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural) (understood in compound with following)

• उरग: serpents (Nāgas)
• उरग: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural) (understood in compound with following)

• आदीन्: and others
• आदीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); 'and others'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• सिद्ध: Siddhas
• सिद्ध: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural) (as member of list)

• गन्धर्व: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्व: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural) (as member of list)

• चारणान्: Cāraṇas
• चारणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A heralded convocation: Brahmā and the devas arrive with their retinues; Vidyādharas hover in the sky, Nāgas emerge with jeweled hoods, Gandharvas tune instruments, Siddhas radiate tapas, Cāraṇas chant praises over Kāśī’s skyline.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas
• Vidyādharas
• Nāgas (Oragas)
• Siddhas
• Gandharvas
• Cāraṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious rites in a sacred place draw the attention of the entire cosmic order, showing Kāśī’s ritual centrality and dharmic grandeur.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the implied sacred stage, where even celestial communities assemble for holy proceedings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse indicates formal convening of divine witnesses for an auspicious ceremony, preparing for enthronement/abhiṣeka-like honors described next.