Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

काशीभयहरो नित्यमैश्यां शालकटंकटात् । त्रिमुखो नाम विघ्नेशः कपिसिंहद्विपाननः

Transliteration

kāśībhayaharo nityamaiśyāṃ śālakaṭaṃkaṭāt | trimukho nāma vighneśaḥ kapisiṃhadvipānanaḥ

Translation

ഇശാന ദിക്കിൽ ശാലകടങ്കടത്തിൽ ‘ത്രിമുഖ’നാമ വിഘ്നേശൻ വിരാജിക്കുന്നു—കപി, സിംഹ, ഗജമുഖൻ. കാശിയിലെ ഭയം അവൻ നിത്യം ഹരിക്കട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• काशीभयहरः: the remover of Kāśī’s fear
• काशीभयहरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशीभयहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—काशी + भय + हर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘काश्याः भयम्’ इति)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ऐश्याम्: in the north-east (Īśāna) direction
• ऐश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (दिशि/कोणे)

• शालकटंकटात्: from (the place called) Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa
• शालकटंकटात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालकटंकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—शालक + टंकट (तत्पुरुष; स्थान/नाम-रूप)

• त्रिमुखः: three-faced
• त्रिमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—त्रि + मुख (कर्मधारय)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Avyaya (Appositive particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-प्रयोगे (particle meaning ‘by name’)

• विघ्नेशः: Vighneśa (Lord of obstacles)
• विघ्नेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्नेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—विघ्न + ईश (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कपिसिंहद्विपाननः: having faces like a monkey, lion, and elephant
• कपिसिंहद्विपाननः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि + सिंह + द्विप + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कपि-सिंह-द्विप (द्वन्द्व) + आनन (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘कपिसिंहद्विपाननः’ = ‘कपि-सिंह-द्विप-आननयुक्तः’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa Trimukha Vighneśa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Trimukha Vināyaka in the north-east quarter: a single body with three faces—kapi (monkey), siṃha (lion), and gaja (elephant)—radiating protective power; frightened pilgrims regain composure as a dark ‘bhaya’ mist disperses.

Characters & Entities

• Vighneśa (Gaṇeśa)
• Trimukha
• Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Vināyakas are portrayed as living guardians; Trimukha is invoked as a steady remover of fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa in the north-east quarter of Kāśī’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit worship/approach of Vighneśa; the verse mainly identifies the form and location rather than detailing a procedure.