Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

सीरपाणिः शिवारावो वैणिको वेणुवादनः । दुराधर्षो दुःसहश्च गर्जनो रिपुतर्जनः

Transliteration

sīrapāṇiḥ śivārāvo vaiṇiko veṇuvādanaḥ | durādharṣo duḥsahaśca garjano riputarjanaḥ

Translation

又有持犁者、呼号湿婆者、琴师与吹笛者；难以侵犯者与难以忍受者；咆哮者与震慑敌者——其声与力皆不可征服。

Word by Word

• सीरपाणिः: plough-in-handed
• सीरपाणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सीर (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘सीरं पाणौ यस्य’ (having a plough in hand)

• शिवारावः: one with a (Shiva-like) cry
• शिवारावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आराव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शिवः आरावः यस्य’/‘शिव-सदृश-आरावः’ (auspicious/terrible cry)

• वैणिकः: lute-player
• वैणिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जातिवाचक—वीणावादकः (lute-player)

• वेणुवादनः: flute-player
• वेणुवादनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + वादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘वेणोः वादनः’ (flute-player)

• दुराधर्षः: hard to overpower
• दुराधर्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आ-धृष् (धातु) → दुराधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—दुर्-उपसर्गयुक्त (hard to assail)

• दुःसहः: hard to endure
• दुःसहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सह् (धातु) → दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (hard to endure)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• गर्जनः: roarer
• गर्जनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-संज्ञा (roarer)

• रिपुतर्जनः: threatener of enemies
• रिपुतर्जनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक) + तर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘रिपूणां तर्जनः’ (threatener of enemies)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṇas bearing plough-like weapon (Sīrapāṇi), roaring ‘Śivārāva’, musicians (Vaiṇika with vīṇā, Veṇuvādana with flute), and terrifying warriors (Durādharṣa, Duḥsaha) alongside thunderous Garjana and Riputarjana—an army whose music and battle-cries merge.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (context)
• Śiva (implied)
• Gaṇas
• Śiva (as cry/name)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred power is expressed as both force and auspicious sound—Śiva’s name, roar, and divine music become instruments of protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, implicitly, as the protected sacred city in this narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; however, the prominence of “Śiva” as a cry supports the broader purāṇic emphasis on nāma-smaraṇa (remembrance of the divine name).