Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

गणावूचतुः । अलकायाः पुरोभागे पूरैशानीमहोदया । अस्यां वसंति सततं रुद्रभक्तास्तपोधनाः

Transliteration

gaṇāvūcatuḥ | alakāyāḥ purobhāge pūraiśānīmahodayā | asyāṃ vasaṃti satataṃ rudrabhaktāstapodhanāḥ

Translation

众伽那说道：“在阿罗迦（Alakā）之前，有一城名为伊舍尼（Aiśānī），兴起之相极为吉祥。其间常住鲁陀罗（Rudra）的奉信者——以苦行之火（tapas）为财的修行人。”

Word by Word

• gaṇāḥ: the attendants (Gaṇas)
• gaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• ūcatuḥ: said (the two)
• ūcatuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• alakāyāḥ: of Alakā
• alakāyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• purobhāge: in the front part
• purobhāge: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puras + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular; तत्पुरुष (puraḥ-bhāgaḥ)

• pūrā: Pūrā (name of a city/region)
• pūrā: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular (proper name)

• aiśānī: northeastern; of Īśāna
• aiśānī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; adjective to mahodayā

• mahodayā: having great prosperity/rise
• mahodayā: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; कर्मधारय (mahān udayaḥ yasyāḥ)

• asyām: in this (place/city)
• asyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• vasanti: live, dwell
• vasanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (वस्)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण; adverb (नित्यं)

• rudrabhaktāḥ: devotees of Rudra
• rudrabhaktāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुष (rudrasya bhaktāḥ)

• tapodhanāḥ: those whose wealth is austerity (ascetics)
• tapodhanāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural; बहुव्रीहि (tapo dhanaṃ yeṣām)

Speaker

Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aiśānī-purī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṇas speak, pointing out a radiant city named Aiśānī before Alakā; within, ascetics and Rudra-devotees dwell in perpetual worshipful discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇa
• Alakā
• Aiśānī (city)
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True prosperity is defined as devotion to Rudra and the wealth of austerity (tapas), not worldly possession.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred city named Aiśānī is introduced as a devotional abode connected to Rudra-bhaktas (within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the focus is on continual residence in devotion and ascetic discipline.