Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीगणेशाय नमः । तं मन्महे महेशानं महेशानप्रियार्भकम् । गणेशानं करिगणेशानाननमनामयम्

Transliteration

śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ | taṃ manmahe maheśānaṃ maheśānapriyārbhakam | gaṇeśānaṃ karigaṇeśānānanamanāmayam

Translation

Namaskāra kay Śrī Gaṇeśa. Pinagninilayan namin ang Panginoon ng mga Gaṇa—ang minamahal na anak ni Maheśāna—si Gaṇeśa na may mukhang tulad ng hari ng mga elepante, tagapag-alis ng pagdurusa.

Word by Word

• श्रीगणेशाय: to Śrī Gaṇeśa
• श्रीगणेशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् गणेशः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; नमस्कारार्थक अव्यय (salutatory particle)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मन्महे: we contemplate/consider
• मन्महे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद; ‘वयं मन्यामहे’

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (a name of Śiva/Gaṇeśa)
• महेशानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महेशानप्रियार्भकम्: the beloved child of Maheśāna
• महेशानप्रियार्भकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान + प्रिय + अर्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महेशानस्य प्रियः अर्भकः)

• गणेशानम्: Gaṇeśa
• गणेशानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• करिगणेशानाननमनामयम्: him whose face is like that of an elephant/Gaṇeśa, delightful to the mind
• करिगणेशानाननमनामयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करि + गणेश + आनन + मनामय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि-विशेषण: करिणः गणेशस्य आननं यस्य सः; ‘मनामय’ = मनोहर/आनन्दकर

Speaker

Narrator/Compiler (invocatory verse at opening of Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Auspicious opening: Gaṇeśa seated, elephant-faced, serene, with modaka and pāśa/aṅkuśa; subtle presence of Śiva-Parvatī as parental aura; manuscript or reciter at the edge indicating the start of Kāśī narration.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśa
• Maheśāna (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Begin sacred study with auspicious remembrance of Gaṇeśa, the remover of obstacles and afflictions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is an invocation; the Kāśī Māhātmya begins immediately after, setting the stage for Vārāṇasī’s praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; it functions as a maṅgala (auspicious) salutation before the text.