Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

कुंडोदरो मयूराख्यो बाणो गोकर्ण एव च । मायाबलं समाश्रित्य काशीं प्रविविशुर्गणाः

Transliteration

kuṃḍodaro mayūrākhyo bāṇo gokarṇa eva ca | māyābalaṃ samāśritya kāśīṃ praviviśurgaṇāḥ

Translation

കുണ്ഡോദരൻ, മയൂരാഖ്യൻ, ബാണൻ, ഗോകർണ്ണൻ—ഈ ഗണങ്ങൾ മായാബലത്തെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് കാശിയിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• कुंडोदरः: Kuṇḍodara
• कुंडोदरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुंड (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुंडस्य उदरम् यस्य) नामरूपेण

• मयूराख्यः: Mayūrākhya (named 'Peacock')
• मयूराख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूर (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (मयूर इति आख्यः)

• बाणः: Bāṇa
• बाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• गोकर्णः: Gokarṇa
• गोकर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोः कर्णः) नाम

• एव: indeed / also
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मायाबलम्: magical power
• मायाबलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (मायायाः बलम् / मायामयं बलम्)

• समाश्रित्य: having relied on
• समाश्रित्य: Sambandha (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समाश्रित्य (कृदन्त; √श्रि धातु + सम्-आ- उपसर्ग, ल्यप्/क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय; 'having resorted to'

• काशीम्: Kāśī
• काशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; Accusative

• प्रविविशुः: entered
• प्रविविशुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गणाः: the gaṇas / attendants
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four named gaṇas—Kuṇḍodara, Mayūrākhya, Bāṇa, and Gokarṇa—relying on māyā-bala, enter Kāśī as a protective/operative force.

Characters & Entities

• Kuṇḍodara
• Mayūrākhya
• Bāṇa
• Gokarṇa
• Kāśī
• Māyābala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s dhāma is portrayed as protected and organized by his gaṇas; divine power (māyābala) serves dharma in establishing sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the highlighted destination into which Śiva’s gaṇas enter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse provides names and describes the gaṇas’ entry into Kāśī.