Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

प्रह्लादेश्वरमभ्यर्च्य तत्पश्चाद्भक्तिवर्धनम् । स्वयंलीनः शिवो यत्र भक्तानुग्रहकाम्यया

Transliteration

prahlādeśvaramabhyarcya tatpaścādbhaktivardhanam | svayaṃlīnaḥ śivo yatra bhaktānugrahakāmyayā

Translation

بعد عبادة «برهلاديشڤارا» (Prahlādeśvara) ينبغي بعد ذلك إكرام «بهاكتيڤردهن» (Bhaktivardhana) مُنَمِّي التعبّد. فهناك يكون شِڤا (Śiva) نفسه في حال «سڤالينا» (svalīna)، اندماجًا ذاتيًّا، رغبةً في إفاضة النعمة على العابدين.

Word by Word

• prahlādeśvaram: Prahlādeśvara (liṅga/lord)
• prahlādeśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahlāda + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi-√arc (अर्च्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having worshipped’

• tat-paścāt: thereafter
• tat-paścāt: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tat + paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• bhakti-vardhanam: (the liṅga called) ‘Bhakti-vardhana’ / increaser of devotion
• bhakti-vardhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक; from √vṛdh वृध्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; (गन्तव्य/प्राप्तव्य-स्थान/वस्तु)

• svayam-līnaḥ: self-merged
• svayam-līnaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svayam (अव्यय) + līna (कृदन्त; √lī लि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘merged by himself’

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/स्थानवाचक-अव्ययम् (relative adverb: where)

• bhakta-anugraha-kāmyayā: by the desire to favor devotees
• bhakta-anugraha-kāmyayā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta + anugraha + kāmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular; हेत्वर्थे (by/for the sake of)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prahlādeśvara; Bhaktivardhana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim first offers worship at Prahlādeśvara, then proceeds to Bhaktivardhana where the sanctum feels unusually ‘alive’—a subtle form of Śiva’s self-merged presence, with devotees receiving palpable grace.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Prahlādeśvara
• Bhaktivardhana
• Śiva (Svalīna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s līlā in Kāśī is compassion-driven—he manifests in special forms to intensify devotion and favor sincere worshipers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prahlādeśvara and the adjoining/next shrine Bhaktivardhana in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sequence is suggested: first worship Prahlādeśvara, then proceed to Bhaktivardhana for the growth of devotion.