Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

षष्टिर्गणसहस्राणि गंगां रक्षंति सर्वदा । अभक्तानां च पापानां वासे विघ्नं प्रकुर्वते

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭirgaṇasahasrāṇi gaṃgāṃ rakṣaṃti sarvadā | abhaktānāṃ ca pāpānāṃ vāse vighnaṃ prakurvate

Translation

ساٹھ ہزار گنوں کے لشکر ہمیشہ گنگا کی حفاظت کرتے ہیں، اور گناہگاروں اور بے عقیدوں کے وہاں بسنے میں رکاوٹیں پیدا کرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• षष्टिः: sixty
• षष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-शब्दः (numeral)

• गणसहस्राणि: thousands of groups (troops)
• गणसहस्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणानां सहस्राणि)

• गङ्गाम्: Ganga
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अभक्तानाम्: of the non-devotees
• अभक्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक-विशेषणप्रातिपदिक (non-devotees)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पापानाम्: of the sinful (persons) / of sins
• पापानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• वासे: in (their) dwelling/residence
• वासे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वते: cause/produce
• प्रकुर्वते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Gaṅgā at Kāśī with luminous waters; ranks of Śiva’s gaṇas stationed along the ghāṭas as vigilant guardians, turning away shadowy figures symbolizing pāpa and abhakti.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Gaṇa (Śiva’s attendants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are spiritually guarded; inner devotion and purity are required to truly dwell in their sphere.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā and her banks, envisioned as divinely protected tīrtha-space.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; the verse implies a discipline of bhakti and moral purity to remain near the Gaṅgā without impediments.