Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रतिष्ठाप्य च लिंगानि ते स्वनाम्नांकितानि च । शिवेति परया भक्त्या तेपुरुग्रं तपो भृशम

Transliteration

pratiṣṭhāpya ca liṃgāni te svanāmnāṃkitāni ca | śiveti parayā bhaktyā tepurugraṃ tapo bhṛśama

Translation

তাঁরা নিজেদের নামাঙ্কিত লিঙ্গ প্রতিষ্ঠা করলেন; এবং ‘শিব’ নাম উচ্চারণ করে পরম ভক্তিতে অত্যন্ত উগ্র তপস্যা করলেন।

Word by Word

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

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

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्वनाम्ना-अङ्कितानि: inscribed with their own names
• स्वनाम्ना-अङ्कितानि: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कित (अङ्क् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वनाम्ना अङ्कितानि = inscribed with their own names)

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

• शिव: O Śiva / ‘Śiva’
• शिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative)

• इति: thus, saying
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• परया: with supreme
• परया: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भक्त्या’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भक्त्या: devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपूरुः: performed (completed)
• अपूरुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पूर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• उग्रम्: fierce
• उग्रम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भृशम्: exceedingly, intensely
• भृशम्: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages install multiple liṅgas, each marked with their names on small pedestals; they sit in austere postures amid sacred groves, chanting ‘Śiva’ with blazing ascetic energy; the city’s sanctity glows around them.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Liṅga (Śiva-liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Avimukta, devotion to Śiva expressed through liṅga-installation and tapas becomes a direct path to sanctity and spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra of Kāśī, where sages establish named liṅgas as enduring markers of sacred presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installing Śiva-liṅgas) and bhakti-filled tapas/japa of the name ‘Śiva’ are indicated.