Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

नागाश्च शेषप्रमुखान्गजानैरावतादिकान् । अश्वानुच्चैःश्रवो मुख्यान्कौस्तुभादीन्मणीञ्छुभान्

Transliteration

nāgāśca śeṣapramukhāngajānairāvatādikān | aśvānuccaiḥśravo mukhyānkaustubhādīnmaṇīñchubhān

Translation

应当忆念诸那伽，以舍沙为首；诸象，以爱罗伐多为先；诸马，以乌柴希罗婆斯为首；以及诸吉祥宝珠，以拘斯图婆为首。

Word by Word

• नागान्: serpents
• नागान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• शेषप्रमुखान्: with Śeṣa as the foremost
• शेषप्रमुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः ("नागान्" इति विशेष्यस्य)

• गजान्: elephants
• गजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ऐरावतादिकान्: Airāvata and others
• ऐरावतादिकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐरावत + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः ("गजान्" इति विशेष्यस्य)

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उच्चैःश्रवःमुख्यान्: with Uccaiḥśravas as the foremost
• उच्चैःश्रवःमुख्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्चैःश्रवस् + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः ("अश्वान्" इति विशेष्यस्य)

• कौस्तुभादीन्: Kaustubha and others
• कौस्तुभादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मणीन्: gems
• मणीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शुभान्: auspicious, splendid
• शुभान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः ("मणीन्" इति विशेष्यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages in the frame narrative (Naimiṣa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: Ananta-Śeṣa coiled beneath the worlds, Airāvata emerging like a cloud-elephant, Uccaiḥśravas gleaming white, and Kaustubha jewel radiating—seen in the pilgrim’s inner vision at Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• Nāgas
• Airāvata
• Uccaiḥśravas
• Kaustubha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

By recalling exalted beings and treasures, the practitioner aligns the mind with auspiciousness and divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No geographic tīrtha is named; the verse draws on pan-Purāṇic mythic symbols (often linked to the ocean-churning narrative).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Smaraṇa of chief nāgas, elephants, horses, and jewels—an auspicious recollection practice.