Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

भीमचंड गणाध्यक्षात्किंचिदीशानदिग्गतः । क्षेत्ररक्षोगणाध्यक्षः पूज्यः शालकटंकटः

Transliteration

bhīmacaṃḍa gaṇādhyakṣātkiṃcidīśānadiggataḥ | kṣetrarakṣogaṇādhyakṣaḥ pūjyaḥ śālakaṭaṃkaṭaḥ

Translation

భీమచండ గణాధ్యక్షుని నుండి కొద్దిగా ముందుకు ఈశాన (ఉత్తర-తూర్పు) దిశలో క్షేత్రరక్షక గణాధిపతి శాలకటంకటుడు ఉన్నాడు; కాశీ-క్షేత్ర రక్షకుడైనందున ఆయన పూజ్యుడు.

Word by Word

• bhīmacaṃḍaḥ: Bhīmacaṇḍa (a fierce one)
• bhīmacaṃḍaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīma + caṃḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (भीमश्च स चण्डश्च)

• gaṇādhyakṣāt: from the leader of the gaṇas
• gaṇādhyakṣāt: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणस्य अध्यक्षः)

• kiṃcit: somewhat, a little
• kiṃcit: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiṃcit (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पार्थक-निपातः (somewhat, a little)

• īśāna-dik-gataḥ: gone to the north-east direction
• īśāna-dik-gataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īśāna + diś + gata (गम्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (गत); तत्पुरुष-समासः (ईशानायां दिशि गतः)

• kṣetra-rakṣo-gaṇādhyakṣaḥ: chief of the troop of field-guarding spirits
• kṣetra-rakṣo-gaṇādhyakṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra + rakṣas + gaṇa + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्ररक्षसां गणस्य अध्यक्षः)

• pūjyaḥ: worthy of worship
• pūjyaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (पूज्-धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (पूज्य = to be worshipped)

• śālakaṭaṃkaṭaḥ: Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa (proper name)
• śālakaṭaṃkaṭaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālakaṭaṃkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (विशेषसंज्ञा)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa (kṣetra-rakṣaka gaṇādhyakṣa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī approaches a small shrine of a fierce yet protective gaṇa-chief, Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa, positioned to the north-east beyond Bhīmacaṇḍa; the guardian stands alert at the boundary of the sacred field.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmacaṇḍa
• Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa
• Kāśī
• Vināyaka
• Gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is protected by divine gaṇas; honoring the kṣetra-guardians aligns the devotee with dharma and removes impediments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred field of Kāśī (Varanasi) and its north-east protective circuit (āvaraṇa) featuring Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (pūjā) of Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa as a kṣetra-protector; no specific dāna/snān/japa is stated in this verse.