Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । वाराणस्यां विशालाक्षी क्षेत्रस्य परमेष्टदा । विशालतीर्थं गंगायां कृत्वा पृष्ठे व्यवस्थिता

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | vārāṇasyāṃ viśālākṣī kṣetrasya parameṣṭadā | viśālatīrthaṃ gaṃgāyāṃ kṛtvā pṛṣṭhe vyavasthitā

Translation

斯坎达说道：在婆罗那西（Vārāṇasī），毗舍罗阿克希（Viśālākṣī）是此圣域（kṣetra）的至上主宰女神。她在恒河（Gaṅgā）上建立毗舍罗圣渡（Viśāla Tīrtha），并安住其后，作为守护之临在。

Word by Word

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वाराणस्याम्: in Varanasi
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विशालाक्षी: Viśālākṣī (the goddess)
• विशालाक्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशालाक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रस्य: of the sacred field (kṣetra)
• क्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परमेष्टदा: granting the highest desired (boon)
• परमेष्टदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमेष्टद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying विशालाक्षी)

• विशालतīर्थम्: the Viśāla-tīrtha (great ford/sacred bathing place)
• विशालतīर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (विशालं तीर्थम्)

• गङ्गायाम्: in the Ganga
• गङ्गायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/established
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• पृष्ठे: at/on the back (rear side)
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यवस्थिता: stood/was stationed
• व्यवस्थिता: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (used predicatively)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśāla Tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Kumbhaja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda narrates the sacred geography: on the Gaṅgā’s bank in Kāśī, the radiant goddess Viśālākṣī stands as the supreme guardian, with the Viśāla Tīrtha marked by steps, banners, and worshippers.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Vārāṇasī
• Viśālākṣī
• Gaṅgā
• Viśālatīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is sanctified by a living divine presence; devotion to the presiding goddess aligns the pilgrim with the kṣetra’s grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viśālatīrtha on the Gaṅgā in Vārāṇasī, under the presiding goddess Viśālākṣī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies establishing reverence at Viśālatīrtha; subsequent verses specify bathing and homage.