Skanda Purana — The War-God and the Sacred Places
The Skanda Purana as an immersive reader — the birth of the war-god Skanda and the sacred legends of Kashi, Ujjain, and Somnath.
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The Skanda Purana in One Sitting
Maheshvara Khanda: The Birth of the War-God
Māheśvara Khaṇḍa2 chapters
The Birth of Skanda
The gods, oppressed by the demon Taraka, seek a son of Shiva to lead them; the seed of Shiva is carried to the Ganga and the reeds, and the war-god Skanda is born and nursed by the six Krittikas.
The Slaying of Taraka
Skanda is consecrated commander of the divine army and marches against the demon Taraka, whose boon made him unslayable by any but a child of Shiva, ending the demon's reign over the three worlds.
Vaishnava Khanda: The Glory of Vishnu
Vaiṣṇava Khaṇḍa1 chapters
Brahma Khanda: The Bridge to the South
Brahma Khaṇḍa1 chapters
Kashi Khanda: The City of Light
Kāśī Khaṇḍa2 chapters
The Glory of Kashi
The Kashi Khanda celebrates Varanasi as the City of Light, the abode of Vishvanatha, describing its sacred ghats, shrines, and the liberating power ascribed to death within the holy city.
The Exile of Divodasa
The Kashi Khanda tells how the righteous king Divodasa ruled Varanasi so justly that even the gods could find no fault, until Shiva contrived his own return to the city he loved.
