Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

देवानां च तथर्षीणां सिद्धानां फणिनामपि । आनीय मंगलकराः कन्याः षोडशषोडश

Transliteration

devānāṃ ca tatharṣīṇāṃ siddhānāṃ phaṇināmapi | ānīya maṃgalakarāḥ kanyāḥ ṣoḍaśaṣoḍaśa

Translation

தேவர்கள், ரிஷிகள், சித்தர்கள், மேலும் பணி (நாக) அரசர்களிடமிருந்தும் மங்களகரமான கன்னியர்—பதினாறு பதினாறாக—அழைத்து வரப்பட்டனர்।

Word by Word

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (also/likewise)

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• सिद्धानाम्: of the siddhas
• सिद्धानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• फणिनाम्: of the serpents (nāgas)
• फणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपातः (also/even)

• आनीय: having brought
• आनीय: Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थक) अव्ययभावः; ‘आनयित्वा’ (having brought)

• मंगलकराः: auspicious-bringing
• मंगलकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—मङ्गलकर = मङ्गलं करोति इति (auspicious-making)

• कन्याः: maidens
• कन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• षोडशषोडश: sixteen and sixteen (two groups of sixteen)
• षोडशषोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्यापद-प्रयोगः; द्वन्द्व/पुनरुक्त-संख्या: षोडश + षोडश (= sixteen and sixteen; i.e., two sets of sixteen)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-assembly (frame assumed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand pavilion where radiant maidens appear in orderly groups—some with deva-like luminosity, some ascetic-ṛṣi lineage, some siddha aerial grace, some nāga-regal ornaments—each bearing auspicious items for the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Ṛṣis
• Siddhas
• Nāgas (Phaṇins)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred ceremony is portrayed as universally auspicious, drawing participants from multiple realms—signifying cosmic harmony around dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting; the verse focuses on ceremonial attendance rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions arranging maṅgala attendants (kanyās) in specified numbers (sixteen and sixteen), a common Purāṇic motif for auspicious rites.