Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

षष्टिर्गणसहस्राणि गंगां रक्षंति सर्वदा । अभक्तानां च पापानां वासे विघ्नं प्रकुर्वते

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭirgaṇasahasrāṇi gaṃgāṃ rakṣaṃti sarvadā | abhaktānāṃ ca pāpānāṃ vāse vighnaṃ prakurvate

Translation

षष्टिर्गणसहस्राणि गङ्गां सर्वदा रक्षन्ति; अभक्तानां पापिनां च तत्र वासे विघ्नं प्रकुर्वन्ति।

Word by Word

• षष्टिः: sixty
• षष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-शब्दः (numeral)

• गणसहस्राणि: thousands of groups (troops)
• गणसहस्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणानां सहस्राणि)

• गङ्गाम्: Ganga
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अभक्तानाम्: of the non-devotees
• अभक्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक-विशेषणप्रातिपदिक (non-devotees)

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

• पापानाम्: of the sinful (persons) / of sins
• पापानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• वासे: in (their) dwelling/residence
• वासे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वते: cause/produce
• प्रकुर्वते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Gaṅgā at Kāśī with luminous waters; ranks of Śiva’s gaṇas stationed along the ghāṭas as vigilant guardians, turning away shadowy figures symbolizing pāpa and abhakti.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Gaṇa (Śiva’s attendants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are spiritually guarded; inner devotion and purity are required to truly dwell in their sphere.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā and her banks, envisioned as divinely protected tīrtha-space.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; the verse implies a discipline of bhakti and moral purity to remain near the Gaṅgā without impediments.