Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

धूः स्वयं चापि गायत्री रज्जवस्तक्षकादयः । सारथिः प्रणवो यत्र क्रेंकारः प्रणवध्वनिः

Transliteration

dhūḥ svayaṃ cāpi gāyatrī rajjavastakṣakādayaḥ | sārathiḥ praṇavo yatra kreṃkāraḥ praṇavadhvaniḥ

Translation

ସେଠାରେ ଧୂଃ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଓ ଗାୟତ୍ରୀ ମଧ୍ୟ ଉପସ୍ଥିତ ଥିଲେ। ରଜ୍ଜୁଗୁଡ଼ିକ ତକ୍ଷକ ଆଦି ନାଗ; ସାରଥି ଥିଲା ପ୍ରଣବ (ଓଁ), ଏବଂ ପ୍ରଣବଧ୍ୱନି ‘କ୍ରେଂ’ ମନ୍ତ୍ରରୂପେ ନିନାଦିତ ହେଉଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• धूः: the pole (of a chariot)
• धूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: by itself; personally
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थे अव्यय (reflexive adverb: oneself)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī (meter/deity)
• गायत्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रज्जवः: ropes
• रज्जवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तक्षक: Takṣaka
• तक्षक: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (समासान्त ‘-आदयः’ सहित)

• आदयः: and others
• आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘-आदयः’ = ‘and others’ (समूहवाचक)

• सारथिः: charioteer
• सारथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रणवः: Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (where)

• क्रेंकारः: the sound ‘kreṃ’
• क्रेंकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रेंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बीजमन्त्र-शब्द

• प्रणवध्वनिः: the sound of Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवध्वनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव + ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रणवस्य ध्वनिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine chariot where Dhūḥ and Gāyatrī appear as personified goddesses; serpent-kings like Takṣaka form living reins; the charioteer is a luminous Oṁ-personification; the air vibrates with the bīja-sound ‘kreṃ’ as visible sound-waves.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūḥ
• Gāyatrī
• Takṣaka
• Praṇava (Oṁ)
• Kreṃ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Devi’s journey is framed as mantra-filled and Vedic—Gāyatrī and Oṁ signify that sacred sound itself guides and protects.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred geography underlies the narration, but this verse focuses on mantra-symbolism rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, reverence for Praṇava (Oṁ) and Gāyatrī-japa is suggested by the imagery, but no explicit rite is prescribed.