Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

संप्रधार्येति हृदये देवदेवेन शूलिना । प्रैषिष्ट प्रमथानां तु ततो गणचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

saṃpradhāryeti hṛdaye devadevena śūlinā | praiṣiṣṭa pramathānāṃ tu tato gaṇacatuṣṭayam

Translation

یوں دل میں پختہ ارادہ کر کے، دیوتاؤں کے دیوتا، ترشول دھاری نے پھر پرمَتھوں میں سے چار گنوں کا ایک گروہ روانہ کیا۔

Word by Word

• संप्रधार्य: having reflected
• संप्रधार्य: Sambandha (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संप्रधार्य (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु + सम्/प्र- उपसर्ग, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-रूपेण क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय; 'having considered'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• हृदये: in (his) heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; Locative

• देवदेवेन: by the god of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Agent in passive/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः)

• शूलिना: by the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिना: Karana (Agent in passive/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; Instrumental; epithet 'trident-bearer'

• प्रैषिष्ट: (he) sent
• प्रैषिष्ट: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु; प्रेरणे) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'he sent'

• प्रमथानाम्: of the Pramathas
• प्रमथानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• तु: then / but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• गणचतुष्टयम्: a group of four (gaṇas)
• गणचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणानां चतुष्टयम्)

Speaker

Skanda (narration reporting Śiva’s act)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, the trident-bearer, after resolving in his heart, dispatches a quartet of gaṇas from among the Pramathas.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Devadeva, Śūlin)
• Pramathas
• Gaṇacatuṣṭaya (four gaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sacred order is shown as divinely instituted: Śiva deliberately assigns his forces to uphold the dhāma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Kāśī Māhātmya narrative framework; the immediate focus is the dispatch toward Kāśī rather than a single shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates Śiva’s inner resolve and the sending of attendants.