Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

विद्याधरैः सगंधर्वैर्यक्षरक्षोप्सरोगणैः । गुह्यकैश्चारणैर्भूतैः शेष वासुकि तक्षकैः

Transliteration

vidyādharaiḥ sagaṃdharvairyakṣarakṣopsarogaṇaiḥ | guhyakaiścāraṇairbhūtaiḥ śeṣa vāsuki takṣakaiḥ

Translation

—oleh para Vidyādhara bersama para Gandharva; oleh rombongan Yakṣa, Rākṣasa dan Apsaras; oleh para Guhyaka, Cāraṇa dan Bhūta; serta oleh Śeṣa, Vāsuki dan Takṣaka—

Word by Word

• विद्याधरैः: by the Vidyādharas
• विद्याधरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्याधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—विद्या+धर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• स-गन्धर्वैः: together with Gandharvas / by Gandharvas as well
• स-गन्धर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः—स + गन्धर्व (सह/सहित)

• यक्ष-रक्षः-अप्सरः-गणैः: by the groups of Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Apsarases
• यक्ष-रक्षः-अप्सरः-गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—(यक्ष+रक्षः+अप्सरः)+गण (समाहार/समूहवाचक तत्पुरुष)

• गुह्यकैः: by the Guhyakas
• गुह्यकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

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

• चारणैः: by the Cāraṇas
• चारणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• भूतैः: by the beings/spirits (Bhūtas)
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• शेष: Śeṣa
• शेष: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे नामनिर्देश (name mention)

• वासुकि: Vāsuki
• वासुकि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• तक्षकैः: by the Takṣakas
• तक्षकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa tradition: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast celestial assembly: Vidyādharas and Gandharvas in the sky, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas at the margins, Apsarases in dance, Guhyakas and Cāraṇas chanting, Bhūtas as Śiva’s retinue, and the great nāgas—Śeṣa, Vāsuki, Takṣaka—coiled like living pillars around the radiant center.

Characters & Entities

• Vidyādharas
• Gandharvas
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Apsarases
• Guhyakas
• Cāraṇas
• Bhūtas
• Śeṣa
• Vāsuki
• Takṣaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion transcends species and realm—celestials, spirits, and nāgas alike converge in sacred reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa framework points to Kāśī as the sanctified locus where universal worship is envisioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse enumerates participants in the act of collective veneration.