Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

आयानं शंसते शंभोरुपवाराणसिप्रियम् । ब्रह्माणमग्रतः कृत्वा ततश्चाभ्युद्ययौ हरिः

Transliteration

āyānaṃ śaṃsate śaṃbhorupavārāṇasipriyam | brahmāṇamagrataḥ kṛtvā tataścābhyudyayau hariḥ

Translation

त्याने उपवाराणसीला प्रिय असलेल्या शंभूच्या आगमनाची घोषणा केली; मग ब्रह्माला पुढे ठेवून हरि प्रस्थानास निघाले।

Word by Word

• आयानम्: the route/approach
• आयानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शंसते: announces/describes
• शंसते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• उपवाराणसिप्रियम्: dear to (leading to) Upavārāṇasī
• उपवाराणसिप्रियम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘वाराणसी-प्रियम्’ (वाराणसीं प्रियं यस्य/यत्); विशेषण (आयानम्)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• कृत्वा: having made/placing
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (then/from there)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभ्युद्ययौ: set out/went forth
• अभ्युद्ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-उद्-√या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Upavārāṇasī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A messenger-like proclamation of Śambhu’s approach to Upavārāṇasī; then Hari departs in a divine procession, placing Brahmā at the front as leader.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śambhu)
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā
• Upavārāṇasī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights reverence and ordered conduct even among gods—honoring Brahmā and responding to Śiva’s arrival with readiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Upavārāṇasī, presented as a Kāśī-associated sacred locality beloved of Śambhu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse depicts devotional readiness and respectful reception of the divine.