Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

काश्याः सदोत्तराशायां पाशपाणिर्विनायकः । विनायकान्पाशयति भक्त्या काशीनिवासिनाम्

Transliteration

kāśyāḥ sadottarāśāyāṃ pāśapāṇirvināyakaḥ | vināyakānpāśayati bhaktyā kāśīnivāsinām

Translation

ਕਾਸ਼ੀ ਦੀ ਸਦਾ ਉੱਤਰੀ ਦਿਸ਼ਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਸ਼ਪਾਣੀ-ਵਿਨਾਇਕ ਹੈ। ਕਾਸ਼ੀ-ਨਿਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਭਕਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਉਹ ਵਿਨਾਇਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ‘ਪਾਸ਼’ ਨਾਲ ਬੰਨ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਉਪਦ੍ਰਵਕ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਰੱਖਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• kāśyāḥ: of Kāśī
• kāśyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• uttara-āśāyām: in the northern direction
• uttara-āśāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + āśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तरा आशी/दिक्)

• pāśa-pāṇiḥ: the one who has a noose in hand
• pāśa-pāṇiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (पाशः पाणौ यस्य)

• vināyakaḥ: Vināyaka
• vināyakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vināyakān: (other) vināyakas
• vināyakān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• pāśayati: binds/ensnares
• pāśayati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāśaya (णिजन्त-धातु) < pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; नामधातु/णिजन्त ‘to bind with a noose’

• bhaktyā: by devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kāśī-nivāsinām: of the residents of Kāśī
• kāśī-nivāsinām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāsin (निवासिन्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (काश्यां निवासिनः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pāśapāṇi‑Vināyaka

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pāśapāṇi Gaṇeśa in the northern quarter holding a noose; subtle depiction of smaller vināyaka-spirits being gently bound/contained; Kāśī residents offer lamps and flowers, suggesting communal devotion maintaining harmony.

Characters & Entities

• Pāśapāṇi-Vināyaka
• Kāśī
• Vināyaka (Gaṇeśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is portrayed as a real spiritual power that restrains harmful tendencies and secures the sacred order of Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pāśapāṇi-Vināyaka located in the northern quarter of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated; the verse highlights devotion (bhakti) of Kāśī’s residents as the effective means.