Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

घंटारवप्रिया घोराऽघौघविध्वंसकारिणी । घ्राणतुष्टिकरी घोषा घनानंदा घनप्रिया

Transliteration

ghaṃṭāravapriyā ghorā'ghaughavidhvaṃsakāriṇī | ghrāṇatuṣṭikarī ghoṣā ghanānaṃdā ghanapriyā

Translation

وہ جو گھنٹیوں کی آواز کو پسند کرتی ہے؛ ہیبت ناک جلال والی، جو گناہوں کے سیلاب مٹا دیتی ہے۔ وہ جو پاکیزہ خوشبو سے حسِ شامہ کو مسرور کرتی ہے؛ گونجتی صدا والی—سرور سے لبریز، اور کرم کے بارانی بادل کی طرح محبوب۔

Word by Word

• घण्टारवप्रिया: fond of the sound of bells
• घण्टारवप्रिया: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + रव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• घोरा: terrible; awe-inspiring
• घोरा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अघौघविध्वंसकारिणी: destroyer of floods of sin
• अघौघविध्वंसकारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक) + विध्वंस (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिणी (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + णिनि/िणी-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; णिनि-प्रत्ययान्ता, विशेषण

• घ्राणतुष्टिकरी: causing satisfaction to the sense of smell
• घ्राणतुष्टिकरी: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + करी (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + णिनि/िणी-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; णिनि-प्रत्ययान्ता, विशेषण

• घोषा: Ghoṣā (a name/epithet); sound
• घोषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम/विशेषणरूपेण

• घनानन्दा: dense/abundant bliss; cloud-like joy
• घनानन्दा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• घनप्रिया: fond of clouds; fond of density/abundance
• घनप्रिया: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa) speaking to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī mandira-sannidhi (Devī precinct)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful Devī in temple doorway, bells swinging, incense clouds, devotees offering flowers; a dark torrent labeled ‘aghaugha’ dissolves into light; raincloud imagery suggests ‘ghanapriyā’—cool, nourishing grace.

Characters & Entities

• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Whole-bodied devotion—sound (bells), fragrance (incense), and praise—becomes a means for sin-destruction and the experience of divine bliss.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśī’s devotional setting; the imagery strongly matches temple worship in Kāśī’s shrines.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied temple upacāras: ringing bells and offering fragrant substances (dhūpa), alongside stotra/recitation.