Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

भीमचंड गणाध्यक्षात्किंचिदीशानदिग्गतः । क्षेत्ररक्षोगणाध्यक्षः पूज्यः शालकटंकटः

Transliteration

bhīmacaṃḍa gaṇādhyakṣātkiṃcidīśānadiggataḥ | kṣetrarakṣogaṇādhyakṣaḥ pūjyaḥ śālakaṭaṃkaṭaḥ

Translation

Đi quá Bhīmacaṇḍa một chút, về hướng Īśāna (đông bắc) có Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa—thủ lĩnh các gaṇa canh giữ thánh địa. Ngài đáng được tôn thờ như vị hộ vệ kṣetra (Kāśī).

Word by Word

• bhīmacaṃḍaḥ: Bhīmacaṇḍa (a fierce one)
• bhīmacaṃḍaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīma + caṃḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (भीमश्च स चण्डश्च)

• gaṇādhyakṣāt: from the leader of the gaṇas
• gaṇādhyakṣāt: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणस्य अध्यक्षः)

• kiṃcit: somewhat, a little
• kiṃcit: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiṃcit (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पार्थक-निपातः (somewhat, a little)

• īśāna-dik-gataḥ: gone to the north-east direction
• īśāna-dik-gataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īśāna + diś + gata (गम्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (गत); तत्पुरुष-समासः (ईशानायां दिशि गतः)

• kṣetra-rakṣo-gaṇādhyakṣaḥ: chief of the troop of field-guarding spirits
• kṣetra-rakṣo-gaṇādhyakṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra + rakṣas + gaṇa + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्ररक्षसां गणस्य अध्यक्षः)

• pūjyaḥ: worthy of worship
• pūjyaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (पूज्-धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (पूज्य = to be worshipped)

• śālakaṭaṃkaṭaḥ: Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa (proper name)
• śālakaṭaṃkaṭaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālakaṭaṃkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (विशेषसंज्ञा)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa (kṣetra-rakṣaka gaṇādhyakṣa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī approaches a small shrine of a fierce yet protective gaṇa-chief, Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa, positioned to the north-east beyond Bhīmacaṇḍa; the guardian stands alert at the boundary of the sacred field.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmacaṇḍa
• Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa
• Kāśī
• Vināyaka
• Gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is protected by divine gaṇas; honoring the kṣetra-guardians aligns the devotee with dharma and removes impediments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred field of Kāśī (Varanasi) and its north-east protective circuit (āvaraṇa) featuring Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (pūjā) of Śālakaṭaṃkaṭa as a kṣetra-protector; no specific dāna/snān/japa is stated in this verse.