Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

वरदोऽभयहस्तश्च साक्षसूत्रः समोदकः । देव्याः पुरस्ताद्व्रतिना पूज्य आशाविनायकः

Transliteration

varado'bhayahastaśca sākṣasūtraḥ samodakaḥ | devyāḥ purastādvratinā pūjya āśāvināyakaḥ

Translation

守誓者应在女神之前礼拜“希望之毗那夜迦”Āśā‑Vināyaka：一手施愿赐福，一手作无畏印，执念珠之线，并以摩陀迦甜团为供。

Word by Word

• varadaḥ: boon-giving
• varadaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara-da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वरं ददाति इति)

• abhaya-hastaḥ: with a fear-dispelling hand
• abhaya-hastaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अभय-हस्तः = having a hand granting fearlessness)

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

• sākṣa-sūtraḥ: holding a rosary/cord
• sākṣa-sūtraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (साक्ष-सूत्रः = with a rosary/cord in hand)

• samodakaḥ: with water (offering)
• samodakaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उदकेन सह/उदकयुक्तः)

• devyāḥ: of the Goddess
• devyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• purastāt: in front (of)
• purastāt: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• vratinā: by the vow-observer
• vratinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• pūjyaḥ: to be worshipped
• pūjyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (कृदन्त; पूज्-धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावे क्तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (to be worshipped)

• āśā-vināyakaḥ: Āśāvināyaka (Gaṇeśa as lord of hopes)
• āśā-vināyakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśā (प्रातिपदिक) + vināyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आशायाः विनायकः)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āśā-Vināyaka

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vrata-observer stands before the Goddess’s shrine; in the foreground is Āśā-Vināyaka with varada and abhaya mudrās, a rosary-thread, and a plate of modakas; lamps and garlands frame the sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Āśā-Vināyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Gaurī (Devī)
• Modaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Begin sacred rites by honoring Vināyaka, remover of obstacles, so that aspirations (āśā) become dharmically fulfilled.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame, where Gaurī and Vināyaka worship is taught as highly meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Āśā-Vināyaka before (in front of) the Goddess, with modaka offering and iconographic marks (varada/abhaya, rosary-thread).