Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

गंगेशो नर्मदेशश्च गभस्तीशः सतीश्वरः । अष्टमस्तारकेशश्च प्रत्यष्टमि विशेषतः

Transliteration

gaṃgeśo narmadeśaśca gabhastīśaḥ satīśvaraḥ | aṣṭamastārakeśaśca pratyaṣṭami viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ഗംഗേശൻ, നർമ്മദേശൻ, ഗഭസ്തീശൻ, സതീശ്വരൻ, എട്ടാമതായി താരകേശൻ. പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും എല്ലാ അഷ്ടമിയിലും ഇവരെ ദർശിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• गङ्गेशः: Gaṅgeśa
• गङ्गेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः ईशः)

• नर्मदेशः: Narmadeśa
• नर्मदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः ईशः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• गभस्तीशः: Gabhastīśa
• गभस्तीशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गभस्ति + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गभस्तेः ईशः)

• सतीश्वरः: Satīśvara
• सतीश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सत्याः ईश्वरः)

• अष्टमः: the eighth
• अष्टमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम् (तारकेशः)

• तारकेशः: Tārakeśa
• तारकेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तारकस्य ईशः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• प्रति: at each, on every
• प्रति: Adhikarana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद/पूर्वसर्गार्थक (each/at every)

• अष्टमि: on the aṣṭamī (eighth tithi)
• अष्टमि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (on the eighth lunar day)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/विशेषवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (especially)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly as Skanda teaching Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aṣṭāyatana-yātrā culminating at Tārakeśa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Five additional liṅga shrines are visited; Gaṅgā-ghāṭa light glints, a symbolic Narmadā motif appears in offerings, sunrays (gabhasti) illuminate the path, and the final Tārakeśa shrine is approached on aṣṭamī nightfall.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgeśa
• Narmadeśa
• Gabhastīśa
• Satīśvara
• Tārakeśa
• Aṣṭamī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī pilgrimage is synchronized with sacred time; aṣṭamī observance strengthens protection and removes hindrances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The aṣṭāyatana circuit’s remaining liṅgas—Gaṅgeśa, Narmadeśa, Gabhastīśa, Satīśvara—and the culminating Tārakeśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Visit/worship these liṅgas with special emphasis on aṣṭamī days, highlighting Tārakeśa as the eighth.