Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कृतलिंगसमर्चैश्च भूतिभूषितवर्ष्मभिः । भिक्षाहृतान्नसंतुष्टैः पुष्टैर्गंगामृतोदकैः

Transliteration

kṛtaliṃgasamarcaiśca bhūtibhūṣitavarṣmabhiḥ | bhikṣāhṛtānnasaṃtuṣṭaiḥ puṣṭairgaṃgāmṛtodakaiḥ

Translation

كانوا يعبدون اللِّنگا (liṅga) بخشوعٍ تامّ، وقد تزيّنت أجسادهم بالرماد المقدّس (vibhūti). قانعين بما يُنال من طعام الصدقة، يتقوّون بمياه الغانغا (Gaṅgā) الشبيهة بالرحيق.

Word by Word

• कृतलिङ्गसमर्चैः: with those who had performed worship of the liṅga
• कृतलिङ्गसमर्चैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + समर्च (सम्+अर्च्-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करणे/सह), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (समासान्तः बहुवचन-तृतीया)

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

• भूतिभूषितवर्ष्मभिः: with bodies adorned with sacred ash
• भूतिभूषितवर्ष्मभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (भूष्-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त) + वर्ष्मन्/वर्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• भिक्षाहृतान्नसन्तुष्टैः: with those content with food obtained by alms
• भिक्षाहृतान्नसन्तुष्टैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत (हृ-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तुष्ट (सम्+तुष्-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• पुष्टैः: with the nourished/strengthened (ones)
• पुष्टैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्ट (पुष्-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• गङ्गामृतोदकैः: with water that is the nectar of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गामृतोदकैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; साधन/करणवाचकः

Speaker

Śiva (continuing the narrative addressed to Aparṇā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (ghāṭa context implied)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of ash-smeared Śaiva ascetics on the Gaṅgā bank in Kāśī, offering flowers and water to a liṅga; alms-bowls nearby; the river glows like nectar at dawn.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-liṅga
• Vibhūti (sacred ash)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austere living combined with liṅga-bhakti and Gaṅgā association exemplifies the dharma of Kāśī’s Śaiva devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Śaiva environment, with Gaṅgā as the sustaining sacred presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-samarcana (worship), application of vibhūti, and reliance on alms; reverent use of Gaṅgā water.