Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

नक्षत्रपाठको भूत्वा वृद्धः प्रत्यवरोधगः । चचार मध्ये नगरं पौराणां प्रीतिमावहन्

Transliteration

nakṣatrapāṭhako bhūtvā vṛddhaḥ pratyavarodhagaḥ | cacāra madhye nagaraṃ paurāṇāṃ prītimāvahan

Translation

ستاروں کا پڑھنے والا بن کر، ایک بوڑھے کی صورت میں جو بے روک ٹوک چلتا تھا، وہ شہر کے بیچوں بیچ گھوما اور شہریوں کے دلوں میں خوشی پیدا کی۔

Word by Word

• nakṣatra-pāṭhakaḥ: an astrologer (star-reader)
• nakṣatra-pāṭhakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṭhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘nakṣatrāṇāṃ pāṭhakaḥ’ = reader/interpreter of stars

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु); bhūtvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable verbal; ‘having become’

• vṛddhaḥ: old
• vṛddhaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; adjective qualifying subject

• pratyavarodhagaḥ: one who moved about near dwellings
• pratyavarodhagaḥ: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyavarodha (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘pratyavarodhe gaḥ’ = one who goes about/loiters near houses/quarters (contextual)

• cacāra: wandered
• cacāra: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; used adverbially ‘in the midst’

• nagaram: the city
• nagaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• paurāṇām: of the citizens
• paurāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• prītim: delight
• prītim: Karma (Object of participle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• āvahan: bringing
• āvahan: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Descriptive of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vah (धातु) + ā-; āvahat (कृदन्त/वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with subject

Speaker

Skanda (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (city-interior/Antargṛha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-assembly (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified old astrologer with palm-leaf almanac and staff walks freely through Kāśī’s crowded bazaar-lanes; townspeople smile and gather, temple spires and ghāṭa-stairs glimpsed between houses.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Gaṇeśa
• Vārāṇasī (implied city)
• Citizens of Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred city is guided not only through temples and rites, but also through subtle instruction—divinity can teach and protect while appearing ordinary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Vārāṇasī, shown as a vibrant city where divine presence moves among the people.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes a narrative disguise and public interaction.