Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सिद्धचारणगंधर्व यक्षरक्षोर्चितान्यपि । असुरोरगमर्त्यैश्च दानवैरप्सरोगणैः

Transliteration

siddhacāraṇagaṃdharva yakṣarakṣorcitānyapi | asuroragamartyaiśca dānavairapsarogaṇaiḥ

Translation

അവ സിദ്ധർ, ചാരണർ, ഗന്ധർവർ, യക്ഷർ, രാക്ഷസർ എന്നിവരാലും ആരാധിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അതുപോലെ അസുരർ, നാഗർ, മനുഷ്യർ, ദാനവർ, അപ്സരാഗണങ്ങൾ എന്നിവരാലും।

Word by Word

• siddhacāraṇagaṃdharva: Siddhas, Cāraṇas, and Gandharvas
• siddhacāraṇagaṃdharva: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha-cāraṇa-gandharva (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनार्थे समाहार/समुदायवाचक; (समासपदं—समूहः)

• yakṣarakṣorcitāni: worshipped by Yakṣas and Rākṣasas
• yakṣarakṣorcitāni: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yakṣa-rakṣas-arcita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; yakṣa + rakṣas + arcita; √arc (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त ‘worshipped’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• asuroragamartyaiḥ: by Asuras, serpents, and mortals
• asuroragamartyaiḥ: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Agentive-instr.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura-oraga-martya (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; करण/सहकारक (instrumental plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• dānavaiḥ: by Dānavas
• dānavaiḥ: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Agentive-instr.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• apsarogaṇaiḥ: by groups of Apsarases
• apsarogaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Agentive-instr.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras-gaṇa (प्रातिपदिकानि: apsaras + gaṇa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समूहवाचक

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana (Avimukta/Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand worship scene around multiple liṅgas: Siddhas in the sky, Gandharvas with instruments, Yakṣas bearing offerings, Rākṣasas and Asuras with folded hands, Nāgas coiled in reverence, humans performing abhiṣeka; Apsarases scatter flowers.

Characters & Entities

• Siddha
• Cāraṇa
• Gandharva
• Yakṣa
• Rākṣasa
• Asura
• Nāga (Uraga)
• Martya (humans)
• Dānava
• Apsaras
• Śiva-liṅga
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Śiva-worship is cosmic and inclusive—beings of every realm acknowledge the liṅgas’ sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The liṅgas of Kāśī (especially the Ānandakānana context) as universally worship-worthy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (worship/veneration) is referenced generally; no specific procedure is detailed.