Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

वाराणसीगुणगणान्निर्णीय द्रुहिणस्त्विति । व्यावृत्य मंदरगिरिं न पुनः प्रत्यगान्मुने

Transliteration

vārāṇasīguṇagaṇānnirṇīya druhiṇastviti | vyāvṛtya maṃdaragiriṃ na punaḥ pratyagānmune

Translation

വാരാണസിയുടെ ഗുണഗണങ്ങൾ നിർണയിച്ച് ദ്രുഹിണൻ (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) ‘തഥൈവ’ എന്നു പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു; മന്ദരഗിരിയിൽ നിന്ന് തിരിഞ്ഞ്, ഹേ മുനേ, പിന്നെ ഒരിക്കലും മടങ്ങിയില്ല.

Word by Word

• वाराणसीगुणगणान्: the multitude of Vārāṇasī’s qualities
• वाराणसीगुणगणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी + गुण + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—वाराणस्याः गुणगणाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• निर्णीय: having ascertained/decided
• निर्णीय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर्णि (धातु) (नि + √नी)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), परस्मैपद-भावः; अर्थः—‘निर्णयम् कृत्वा’ (having ascertained)

• द्रुहिणः: Druhiṇa (Brahmā)
• द्रुहिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुहिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः नाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इत्यर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

• व्यावृत्य: having turned back/returned
• व्यावृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + आ + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); अर्थः—‘व्यावर्तनं कृत्वा’ (having turned away/returned)

• मंदरगिरिम्: Mount Mandara
• मंदरगिरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—मन्दरः स गिरिः (कर्मधारय)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-बोधक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• प्रत्यगात्: went back/returned
• प्रत्यगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (sage) addressed in the verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, after contemplating a scroll/list of Kāśī’s virtues, gestures ‘evam’ and turns away from Mandara; Kāśī’s radiant skyline draws him like a magnet.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Brahmā (Druhiṇa)
• Mandara mountain

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest divine authority recognizes Kāśī’s unsurpassed excellence; its greatness redirects attention from other famed locales.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī/Kāśī, through the testimony of Brahmā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a narrative affirmation of Kāśī’s unique status.