Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

श्रीकंठ उवाच । जय विघ्नकृतामाद्य भक्तनिर्विघ्नकारक । अविघ्नविघ्नशमन महाविघ्नैकविघ्नकृत्

Transliteration

śrīkaṃṭha uvāca | jaya vighnakṛtāmādya bhaktanirvighnakāraka | avighnavighnaśamana mahāvighnaikavighnakṛt

Translation

శ్రీకంఠుడు (శివుడు) పలికెను—జయము! హే విఘ్నకర్తలలో ఆద్యుడా, భక్తులకు నిర్విఘ్న మార్గదాతా; అవిఘ్నంలో పుట్టే విఘ్నాలను శమింపజేసేవాడా; మహావిఘ్నాలకు ఏకైక విఘ్నమూర్తివా!

Word by Word

• श्रीकंठः: Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva)
• श्रीकंठः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• जय: victory to / hail
• जय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; जय-शब्दः (victory-salutation; vocative usage)

• विघ्नकृताम्: of the makers of obstacles
• विघ्नकृताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (विघ्नं करोति)

• आद्य: O primordial one
• आद्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भक्तनिर्विघ्नकारक: O maker of obstacle-free (paths) for devotees
• भक्तनिर्विघ्नकारक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (भक्तानां निर्विघ्नं करोति)

• अविघ्नविघ्नशमन: O remover of obstacles to the unobstructed
• अविघ्नविघ्नशमन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + शमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अविघ्नस्य विघ्नं शमयति)

• महाविघ्नैकविघ्नकृत्: O who makes (or counters) the single obstacle for great obstacles
• महाविघ्नैकविघ्नकृत्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाविघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महाविघ्नानाम् एकं विघ्नं करोति/निवारयति इति स्तुत्यर्थः)

Speaker

Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gajānanā (Gaṇeśa) (addressed); devas as witnesses (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha) speaks directly in a ringing victory-chant to Gaṇeśa, praising him as both the maker of obstacles and the remover of obstacles for devotees—an image of protective power and moral governance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha)
• Gaṇeśa (Vighneśvara implied)
• Devotees (bhakta)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gaṇeśa governs obstacles: he may place hindrances to protect dharma, yet he ensures smooth success for true devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a specific tīrtha in this verse; it functions as Gaṇeśa-stuti within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice is stuti/jaya—praising Gaṇeśa as a devotional act before undertaking sacred travel or rites.