Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

नंदिसेनश्च पंचालः खरपादकरंटकः । आनंदोगोपको बभ्रू रक्षंति वरणातटे

Transliteration

naṃdisenaśca paṃcālaḥ kharapādakaraṃṭakaḥ | ānaṃdogopako babhrū rakṣaṃti varaṇātaṭe

Translation

难提塞那（Nandisena）、般遮罗（Pañcāla）、佉罗跋陀迦兰陀迦（Kharapādakaraṇṭaka）、阿难多戈帕迦（Ānandogopaka）与跋婆卢（Babhrū）守护瓦罗那河（Varaṇā）之滨。

Word by Word

• नन्दिसेनः: Nandisena (a name)
• नन्दिसेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

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

• पञ्चालः: Pañcāla (a name)
• पञ्चालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• खरपादकरंटकः: Kharapādakaraṇṭaka (a name/epithet)
• खरपादकरंटकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर + पाद + करंटक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kharapāda- ‘of/with donkey-feet’ + karaṇṭaka ‘name/epithet’)

• आनन्दोगोपकः: Ānandogopaka (a name)
• आनन्दोगोपकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + गोपक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (ānandaḥ eva gopakaḥ)

• बभ्रूः: Babhrū (a name)
• बभ्रूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बभ्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नाम)

• रक्षन्ति: protect
• रक्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरणातटे: on the bank of the Varaṇā (river)
• वरणातटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरण + तट (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (varaṇasya taṭe)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varaṇā-taṭa (within Kāśī-kṣetra)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Damana (dvija)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred riverbank at dawn: the Varaṇā flowing toward the Gaṅgā; subtle guardian figures (semi-divine protectors) stationed along the bank, watching over pilgrims and ascetics.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Varaṇā (river)
• Nandisena
• Pañcāla
• Kharapādakaraṇṭaka
• Ānandogopaka
• Babhrū

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rivers and their banks in Kāśī are not merely geography but consecrated boundaries guarded by divine attendants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Varaṇā riverbank within the sacred landscape of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse highlights protective sanctity of the riverbank.