Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

काश्यां व्यासेश्वरं लिंगं पूजयित्वा नरोत्तमः । न ज्ञानाद्भ्रश्यते क्वापि पातकैर्नाभिभूयते

Transliteration

kāśyāṃ vyāseśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ pūjayitvā narottamaḥ | na jñānādbhraśyate kvāpi pātakairnābhibhūyate

Translation

أفضل الناس، إذا عبد لِنْغا فياسِشْفَرا في كاشي، لا يسقط قطّ عن المعرفة الحقّة، ولا تغلبه الآثام في أيّ مكان.

Word by Word

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यासेश्वरम्: Vyāseśvara
• व्यासेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य ईश्वरः)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• नरोत्तमः: the best of men
• नरोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः नरः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ज्ञानात्: from knowledge
• ज्ञानात्: Apadana (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• भ्रश्यते: falls away/declines
• भ्रश्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रंश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite locative adverb: anywhere)

• पातकैः: by sins
• पातकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अभिभूयते: is overpowered
• अभिभूयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vyāseśvara (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A noble pilgrim performs careful pūjā to the Vyāseśvara liṅga in Kāśī—offering bilva, pouring water, lamp circling—while a subtle aura suggests the stabilization of inner knowledge and the burning away of sin.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Vyāseśvara Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship in Kāśī stabilizes jñāna (spiritual insight) and shields the devotee from the dominance of pāpa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vyāseśvara Liṅga in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā/arcana of the Vyāseśvara Liṅga in Kāśī.