Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तदा विविशतुः काश्यां सूर्याचंद्रमसावपि । न गणैरकृतानुज्ञौ तत्तेजः शमितप्रभौ

Transliteration

tadā viviśatuḥ kāśyāṃ sūryācaṃdramasāvapi | na gaṇairakṛtānujñau tattejaḥ śamitaprabhau

Translation

Noon, pumasok sa Kāśī maging ang Araw at ang Buwan. Ngunit dahil hindi sila nakakuha ng pahintulot mula sa mga gaṇa ni Śiva, napahinahon ang kanilang liwanag at napasupil ang ningning.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'then')

• विविशतुः: (they) entered
• विविशतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• सूर्य: the Sun
• सूर्य: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थे प्रथमपद)

• चन्द्रमसौ: and the Moon (the two)
• चन्द्रमसौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• गणैः: by the gaṇas (attendants)
• गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अकृत-अनुज्ञौ: (the two) not having obtained permission
• अकृत-अनुज्ञौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृत (कृ धातु-क्त, कृदन्त) + अनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अकृता अनुज्ञा यस्य/ययोः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tejasः)

• तेजः: splendour, radiance
• तेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शमित-प्रभौ: whose brilliance was subdued
• शमित-प्रभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शमित (शम् धातु-क्त, कृदन्त) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (शमिता प्रभा ययोः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Primary interlocutors of Kāśīkhaṇḍa (traditional frame: sages/Śaunaka-group or equivalent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sun and Moon enter the luminous city of Kāśī but their brilliance is gently subdued at the threshold by Śiva’s gaṇas, emphasizing the kṣetra’s superior, inner radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Candra (Moon)
• Śiva-gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is governed by Śiva’s sacred order; even cosmic powers must honor the dharma of that holy space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as a uniquely regulated and Śiva-protected sacred realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes reverence and proper authorization within the sacred domain.