Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

तिलपर्ण स्धूलकर्ण दृमिचंड प्रभामय । सुकेश विंदते छाग कपर्दिन्पिंगलाक्षक

Transliteration

tilaparṇa sdhūlakarṇa dṛmicaṃḍa prabhāmaya | sukeśa viṃdate chāga kapardinpiṃgalākṣaka

Translation

തിലപർണ, സ്ഥൂലകർണ, ദ്രുമിചണ്ഡ, പ്രഭാമയ; സുകേശ, വിന്ധതേ, ഛാഗ, കപർദി, പിംഗലാക്ഷക—ഇവ ഗണങ്ങളുടെ നാമങ്ങളാണ്.

Word by Word

• तिलपर्ण: O Tilaparṇa (name)
• तिलपर्ण: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तिलस्य पर्णम्/तिलपर्णः) — नामरूपेण

• स्थूलकर्ण: O Thick-eared one (name)
• स्थूलकर्ण: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्थूलः कर्णः यस्य) — नामरूपेण

• दृमिचण्ड: O Dṛmicaṇḍa (name)
• दृमिचण्ड: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृमि (प्रातिपदिक; द्रुमि/दृमि ‘tree-like/wooded’ इति पाठान्तरसम्भव) + चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास — नामरूपेण

• प्रभामय: O Radiant one (name)
• प्रभामय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय (प्रभया मयः/प्रभामयः) — नामरूपेण

• सुकेश: O Fine-haired one (name)
• सुकेश: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुन्दराः केशाः यस्य) — नामरूपेण

• विन्दते: finds/obtains
• विन्दते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्/विन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• छाग: O Chāga (name)
• छाग: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• कपर्दिन्: O Kapardin (matted-haired one)
• कपर्दिन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; ‘कपर्द’ (matted hair) युक्तः — नाम/विशेषण

• पिङ्गलाक्षक: O Tawny-eyed one (name)
• पिङ्गलाक्षक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पिङ्गले अक्षिणी यस्य) — नामरूपेण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of distinct gaṇas, each with emblematic features suggested by their names—leaf/seed motifs (Tilaparṇa), large ears (Sthūlakarṇa), radiant body (Prabhāmaya), tawny eyes (Piṅgalākṣaka)—standing ready for departure.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Tilaparṇa
• Sthūlakarṇa
• Dṛmicaṇḍa
• Prabhāmaya
• Sukeśa
• Vindate
• Chāga
• Kapardin
• Piṅgalākṣaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is supported by Śiva’s attendant hosts; naming them signals protection, presence, and sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context remains Kāśī/Vārāṇasī, though this verse chiefly lists gaṇa names rather than a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an enumerative (nāma) passage.