Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

अर्चंति विश्वे विश्वेशं विश्वेशोर्चति विश्वकृत् । अविमुक्तेश्वरं लिंगं भुविमुक्तिप्रदायकम्

Transliteration

arcaṃti viśve viśveśaṃ viśveśorcati viśvakṛt | avimukteśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ bhuvimuktipradāyakam

Translation

বিশ্বদেবগণ বিশ্বেশ্বরের অর্চনা করেন, আর বিশ্বস্রষ্টা সেই বিশ্বেশ্বরও (পুনরায়) অর্চনা করেন। অবিমুক্তেশ্বর লিঙ্গ পৃথিবীতেই মুক্তি দানকারী।

Word by Word

• अर्चन्ति: worship
• अर्चन्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विश्वे: the Viśvedevas
• विश्वे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; देवगण-नाम (Viśvedevas)

• विश्वेशम्: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेशम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य ईशः)

• विश्वेशः: the Lord of the universe
• विश्वेशः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अर्चति: worships
• अर्चति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विश्वकृत्: the maker of the universe
• विश्वकृत्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वं करोति)

• अविमुक्तेश्वरम्: Avimukteśvara
• अविमुक्तेश्वरम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avimukta (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘लिङ्गम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-आधार; भुव्/भू-लोक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपदम्

• मुक्तिप्रदायकम्: giver of liberation
• मुक्तिप्रदायकम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāyaka (प्रातिपदिक; √दा-प्रद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘लिङ्गम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुक्तेः प्रदायकः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukteśvara-liṅga (Avimukta-kṣetra) associated with Viśveśa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Viśvedevas offer worship to Viśveśa; in a paradoxical cosmic tableau, Viśveśa as world-maker is shown ‘worshipping’ (honoring) the Avimukteśvara liṅga, signifying supreme sanctity; a pilgrim receives a halo of ‘earthly liberation’.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvedevas
• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Avimukteśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Avimukteśvara is exalted as so supreme that even divine beings revere Him, and His grace yields liberation in embodied life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Avimukta-kṣetra, particularly the Avimukteśvara Liṅga and the lordship of Viśveśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (arcana) is implied, but no detailed ritual steps are specified.