Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

स्वप्नेश्वर्याश्च वारुण्यां दुर्गादेवी व्यवस्थिता । क्षेत्रस्य दक्षिणं भागं सा सदैवाभिरक्षति

Transliteration

svapneśvaryāśca vāruṇyāṃ durgādevī vyavasthitā | kṣetrasya dakṣiṇaṃ bhāgaṃ sā sadaivābhirakṣati

Translation

स्वप्नेश्वरीच्या वारुणी भागात दुर्गादेवी प्रतिष्ठित आहे; ती क्षेत्राच्या (काशीक्षेत्राच्या) दक्षिण भागाचे सदैव रक्षण करते.

Word by Word

• स्वप्नेश्वर्याः: of Svapneśvarī
• स्वप्नेश्वर्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; स्वप्नस्य ईश्वरी = स्वप्न-ईश्वरी (तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• वारुण्याम्: in (the quarter/place called) Vāruṇī
• वारुण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारुणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (in Vāruṇī)

• दुर्गादेवी: Goddess Durgā
• दुर्गादेवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; दुर्गा एव देवी = कर्मधारय

• व्यवस्थिता: is stationed/established
• व्यवस्थिता: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘situated/established’

• क्षेत्रस्य: of the sacred field (kṣetra)
• क्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दक्षिणम्: southern
• दक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘भागम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• भागम्: portion/part
• भागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed)

• अभिरक्षति: protects/guards
• अभिरक्षति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇā (Kāśī) with Svapneśvarī/Durgā-sthāna

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A map-like sacred mandala of Kāśī: the Varuṇā side marked, with Durgā stationed as guardian, her gaze protecting the southern expanse of the kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Svapneśvarī
• Varuṇā
• Durgādevī
• Kāśī-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is envisioned as a divinely guarded mandala, with Durgā stationed to protect devotees and the kṣetra itself.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Varuṇā-side sacred zone of Kāśī, connected with Svapneśvarī and the presence of Durgādevī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse identifies Durgā’s protective station within Kāśī’s sacred geography.