Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

गंगायाः पश्चिमे कूले प्रणवाख्यो गणाधिपः । अवाच्यां राजपुत्राच्च प्रणतः प्रणयेद्दिवम्

Transliteration

gaṃgāyāḥ paścime kūle praṇavākhyo gaṇādhipaḥ | avācyāṃ rājaputrācca praṇataḥ praṇayeddivam

Translation

Di tebing barat Sungai Gaṅgā ada ketua para gaṇa bernama Praṇava. Dan dari Rājaputra, pada penjuru yang disebut Avācyā—sesiapa yang menunduk bersujud di sana akan dipimpin menuju syurga.

Word by Word

• गंगायाः: of the Gaṅgā
• गंगायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पश्चिमे: on the western
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषण (कूले)

• कूले: bank
• कूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्रणवाख्यः: named Praṇava
• प्रणवाख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—प्रणव इति आख्यः (उपपद/तत्पुरुष)

• गणाधिपः: lord of the gaṇas
• गणाधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—गणानाम् अधिपः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अवाच्याम्: Avācyā (a place/region so named)
• अवाच्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवाच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; (नगरी/दिशा-नामरूपेण)

• राजपुत्रात्: from the prince
• राजपुत्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—राज्ञः पुत्रः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• प्रणतः: bowed down
• प्रणतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (गणाधिपस्य)

• प्रणयेत्: would lead/conduct
• प्रणयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Praṇava Gaṇādhipa (Gaṅgā-paścima-kūla)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within Kāśī-māhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Gaṇeśa shrine on the western Gaṅgā bank; the deity titled ‘Praṇava’ with an Oṃ emblem; pilgrims bow at the ghat steps as the river flows, suggesting ascent to heaven through devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Praṇava Gaṇādhipa
• Rājaputra Vināyaka
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence (praṇāma) offered at Kāśī’s sacred guardians—especially along the Gaṅgā—carries spiritual uplift and higher worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The western bank of the Gaṅgā in Kāśī, associated with Praṇava Gaṇādhipa, and the Avācyā sector linked to Rājaputra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing/salutation) to the deity; the verse highlights its fruit as being led to heaven.