Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

उदग्द्वारं तथा रक्षेद्घंटाकर्णो महागणः । ऐशंकोणं छागवक्त्रो भीषणो वह्निदिग्दलम्

Transliteration

udagdvāraṃ tathā rakṣedghaṃṭākarṇo mahāgaṇaḥ | aiśaṃkoṇaṃ chāgavaktro bhīṣaṇo vahnidigdalam

Translation

同样，名为甘塔卡尔那（Ghaṇṭākarṇa）的伟大伽那守护北门；而可怖的恰伽瓦克特拉（Chāgavaktra）护持东北隅，即邻接火方之区。

Word by Word

• उदग्द्वारम्: the northern gate
• उदग्द्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक्/उत्तर + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उदक्-द्वारम् = उत्तरद्वारम्)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• रक्षेत्: should protect
• रक्षेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• घंटाकर्णः: Ghantākarṇa
• घंटाकर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (घण्टायाः कर्णः/घण्टासदृशकर्णः) नाम

• महागणः: the great gaṇa
• महागणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् गणः)

• ऐशंकोणम्: the north-east corner (Īśāna corner)
• ऐशंकोणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश + कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ईशस्य/ईशानस्य कोणः = ईशानकोणः)

• छागवक्त्रः: one who has a goat-face
• छागवक्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाग + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (छागवक्त्रं यस्य सः)

• भीषणः: terrible
• भीषणः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वह्निदिग्दलम्: the direction/sector of Agni (south-east)
• वह्निदिग्दलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि + दिक् + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वह्नेः दिक्-दलम् = अग्निदिग्भागम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (uttara-dvāra; aiśānya-koṇa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Kāśī’s northern gate stands Ghaṇṭākarṇa, massive and vigilant, with bell-like ear ornaments; at the north-eastern corner stands the fearsome Chāgavaktra, goat-faced, guarding the fiery-adjacent quadrant, both framed by city walls and sacred light.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Ghaṇṭākarṇa
• Chāgavaktra
• Īśāna (NE direction)
• Agni (Fire direction)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of Kāśī is reinforced through a mapped sacred geography where each direction is consecrated and protected.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kṣetra of Kāśī, especially its northern gate and the Īśāna (north-east) corner.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse functions as a protective and topographical praise of the kṣetra.