Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

वाराणसीगुणगणान्निर्णीय द्रुहिणस्त्विति । व्यावृत्य मंदरगिरिं न पुनः प्रत्यगान्मुने

Transliteration

vārāṇasīguṇagaṇānnirṇīya druhiṇastviti | vyāvṛtya maṃdaragiriṃ na punaḥ pratyagānmune

Translation

Setelah menilai himpunan keutamaan Vārāṇasī, Dṛuhiṇa (Brahmā) pun menyatakan, “Demikianlah sesungguhnya!” Lalu berpaling dari Gunung Mandara, wahai muni, baginda tidak kembali lagi.

Word by Word

• वाराणसीगुणगणान्: the multitude of Vārāṇasī’s qualities
• वाराणसीगुणगणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी + गुण + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—वाराणस्याः गुणगणाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• निर्णीय: having ascertained/decided
• निर्णीय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर्णि (धातु) (नि + √नी)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), परस्मैपद-भावः; अर्थः—‘निर्णयम् कृत्वा’ (having ascertained)

• द्रुहिणः: Druhiṇa (Brahmā)
• द्रुहिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुहिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः नाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इत्यर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

• व्यावृत्य: having turned back/returned
• व्यावृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + आ + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); अर्थः—‘व्यावर्तनं कृत्वा’ (having turned away/returned)

• मंदरगिरिम्: Mount Mandara
• मंदरगिरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—मन्दरः स गिरिः (कर्मधारय)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-बोधक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• प्रत्यगात्: went back/returned
• प्रत्यगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (sage) addressed in the verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, after contemplating a scroll/list of Kāśī’s virtues, gestures ‘evam’ and turns away from Mandara; Kāśī’s radiant skyline draws him like a magnet.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Brahmā (Druhiṇa)
• Mandara mountain

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest divine authority recognizes Kāśī’s unsurpassed excellence; its greatness redirects attention from other famed locales.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī/Kāśī, through the testimony of Brahmā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a narrative affirmation of Kāśī’s unique status.