Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

वीरभद्र किराताख्य चतुर्मुख निकुंभक । पंचाक्ष भारभूताख्य त्र्यक्ष क्षेमकलांगलिन्

Transliteration

vīrabhadra kirātākhya caturmukha nikuṃbhaka | paṃcākṣa bhārabhūtākhya tryakṣa kṣemakalāṃgalin

Translation

毗罗跋陀罗（Vīrabhadra）、基罗塔迦（Kirātākhya）、四面者（Caturmukha）、尼俱婆迦（Nikuṃbhaka）；又有五字者（Pañcākṣa）、婆罗部多名者（Bhārabhūtākhya）、三目者（Tryakṣa）与吉祥犁者（Kṣemakalāṅgalin）——此等亦列于诸伽那之中。

Word by Word

• वीरभद्र: O Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास — नाम

• किराताख्य: O one called ‘Kirāta’
• किराताख्य: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; ‘named’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (किरात इति आख्यः) — नाम

• चतुर्मुख: O Four-faced one (name)
• चतुर्मुख: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (चत्वारि मुखानि यस्य) — नाम

• निकुम्भक: O Nikuṃbhaka (name)
• निकुम्भक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकुम्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; नाम

• पञ्चाक्ष: O Five-eyed/Five-sensed one (name)
• पञ्चाक्ष: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च अक्षाणि/अक्षि यस्य) — नाम

• भारभूताख्य: O one called ‘Bhārabhūta’
• भारभूताख्य: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारभूत (प्रातिपदिक; भार + भूत) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भारभूत इति आख्यः) — नाम

• त्र्यक्ष: O Three-eyed one (name)
• त्र्यक्ष: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि अक्षाणि/अक्षि यस्य) — नाम

• क्षेमकलाङ्गलिन्: O Kṣemakalāṅgalin (name)
• क्षेमकलाङ्गलिन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक) + कल (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समास (क्षेम-कल-अङ्गलिन्) — नाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stronger, martial lineup of gaṇas: Vīrabhadra prominent with fierce yet disciplined posture; others with multiple faces/eyes suggested by names (Caturmukha, Tryakṣa), carrying implements; the group poised to depart under Śiva’s command.

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Gaṇas
• Kirātākhya
• Caturmukha
• Nikuṃbhaka
• Pañcākṣa
• Bhārabhūtākhya
• Tryakṣa
• Kṣemakalāṅgalin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Śaiva sacred realm is populated by divine attendants; their naming emphasizes Śiva’s living presence and guardianship of dharma in Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Vārāṇasī is the continuing context, though the verse focuses on gaṇa names.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a catalog of names.