Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 130

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य दंडवद्भूमौ कृतांजलिपुटौ गणौ । कृताभ्यनुज्ञो भ्रूक्षेपाद्विज्ञप्तिमथ चक्रतुः

Transliteration

praṇamya daṃḍavadbhūmau kṛtāṃjalipuṭau gaṇau | kṛtābhyanujño bhrūkṣepādvijñaptimatha cakratuḥ

Translation

二位侍从天众（gaṇa）俯身如杖般伏地，合掌致敬；得其眉间一瞥之许可后，遂陈其所请。

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘प्रणम्य’ = having bowed

• दण्डवत्: prostrate (like a stick)
• दण्डवत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: like a staff, prostrate)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृताञ्जलिपुटौ: with hands joined in reverence
• कृताञ्जलिपुटौ: Vishesana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः ययोः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• गणौ: the two attendants/gaṇas
• गणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• कृताभ्यनुज्ञः: having obtained permission
• कृताभ्यनुज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त) + अभ्यनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृता अभ्यनुज्ञा येन सः / कृताम् अभ्यनुज्ञाम् प्राप्तः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भ्रूक्षेपात्: from a brow-gesture (raising/tilting)
• भ्रूक्षेपात्: Apadana (Source/cause/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भ्रुवोः क्षेपः), पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विज्ञप्तिम्: a request/petition
• विज्ञप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• चक्रतुः: they made/did
• चक्रतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two gaṇas in Śiva’s presence prostrate fully like staffs, then rise with folded hands; Śiva (or a presiding deity) grants permission with a subtle brow-glance; the gaṇas begin their formal petition.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach the divine with humility (praṇāma), reverence (añjali), and restraint—speaking only after receiving permission.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as narrative etiquette within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting of sacred Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration) and añjali (folded hands) as devotional protocol.