Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अगर्वानेव गंधर्वान्यश्चक्रे निजगीतिभिः । ररक्षुर्यक्षरक्षांसि तद्दुर्गं स्वर्गसोदरम्

Transliteration

agarvāneva gaṃdharvānyaścakre nijagītibhiḥ | rarakṣuryakṣarakṣāṃsi taddurgaṃ svargasodaram

Translation

凭他自身的歌咏，连乾闼婆（Gandharvas）亦自谦伏。夜叉与罗刹守护那座城堡，宛如与天界同胞之堡垒。

Word by Word

• अगर्वान्: humble (without pride)
• अगर्वान्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय ‘अगर्व’ = निरहङ्कार

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• गन्धर्वान्: the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्म

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• चक्रे: made
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निजगीतिभिः: by his own songs
• निजगीतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + गीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण; समासः तत्पुरुषः ‘निजाः गीतयः’

• ररक्षुः: they protected
• ररक्षुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• यक्षरक्षांसि: Yakṣas and Rākṣasas
• यक्षरक्षांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (यक्षाः च रक्षांसि च)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object determiner/कर्म-निर्देशक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दुर्गम्: fortress/stronghold
• दुर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• स्वर्गसोदरम्: akin to heaven
• स्वर्गसोदरम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + सोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वर्गस्य सोदरम्’ (having heaven as a sibling/akin to heaven)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial musician-sage or divine lord sings; Gandharvas lower their heads, vīṇās held respectfully. At the gates of a shining fortress-city, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas stand as vigilant guardians, yet peaceful, as if sworn protectors of the holy realm.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvāḥ
• Yakṣāḥ
• Rākṣasāḥ
• Durga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual authority can manifest as refinement and harmony (song), subduing pride and bringing even fierce beings into protective service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting supports the glorification of sacred space as ‘heaven-like,’ though this verse names no specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly.