Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 163

Devanagari script

गणावूचतुः । इत्थमग्निस्वरूपं ते शिवशर्मन्प्रवर्णितम् । किमन्यच्छ्रोतुकामोसि कथयावस्तदीरय

Transliteration

gaṇāvūcatuḥ | itthamagnisvarūpaṃ te śivaśarmanpravarṇitam | kimanyacchrotukāmosi kathayāvastadīraya

Translation

เหล่าคณะคณะ (คณะของพระศิวะ) กล่าวว่า: “โอ้ ศิวศรรมน เราได้พรรณนาธรรมชาติอันเป็นเพลิงของท่านดังนี้แล้ว ท่านปรารถนาจะฟังสิ่งใดอีก? จงบอกมา—กล่าวให้ชัดเจนเถิด”

Word by Word

• गणौ: the two attendants (gaṇas)
• गणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• ऊचतुः: said
• ऊचतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual), परस्मैपदम्; धातु: वच्

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अग्निस्वरूपम्: the form/nature of fire
• अग्निस्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अग्नेः स्वरूपम्)

• ते: to you / of you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• शिवशर्मन्: O Śivaśarman
• शिवशर्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवशर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवर्णितम्: has been described
• प्रवर्णितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातु: वर्ण्

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रोतुकामः: desirous to hear
• श्रोतुकामः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (प्रत्यय) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive) + काम-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषवत् (श्रोतुम् कामः)

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्; धातु: अस्

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्; धातु: कथय् (णिजन्त)

• आवः: to us two
• आवः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (Dative, 4th), द्विवचन (Dual); सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• ईरय: utter/declare
• ईरय: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्; धातु: ईर् (प्रेरणे)

Speaker

Gaṇas (attendants of Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (gaṇa-sannidhya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame typical; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of gaṇas—dwarf-like, fierce yet benevolent—address Śivaśarman; flames or a fiery aura motif illustrates ‘agni-svarūpa’; the scene is conversational, with gestures inviting further questions.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Śivaśarman
• Agni-svarūpa (fiery nature)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred instruction proceeds through dialogue—humble inquiry and clear articulation deepen understanding of divine qualities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a transition in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a conversational prompt to continue the teaching.