Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं महालिंगं दृष्ट्वा ग्रामांतरं व्रजेत् । लब्धाशुकार्यसंसिद्धिं क्षेमेण प्रविशेद्गृहम्

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ mahāliṃgaṃ dṛṣṭvā grāmāṃtaraṃ vrajet | labdhāśukāryasaṃsiddhiṃ kṣemeṇa praviśedgṛham

Translation

অবিমুক্তের মহালিঙ্গ দর্শন করে মানুষ অন্য গ্রামে যেতে পারে; সে দ্রুত কার্যসিদ্ধি লাভ করে কুশলে গৃহে প্রবেশ করে।

Word by Word

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (name/epithet)
• अविमुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् लिङ्गम्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)

• ग्रामान्तरम्: another village
• ग्रामान्तरम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ग्रामस्य अन्तरम्/ग्रामान्तरम् = another village)

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लब्धाशुकार्यसंसिद्धिम्: swift accomplishment of the task (obtained)
• लब्धाशुकार्यसंसिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लब्ध (लभ् धातु, क्त) + आशु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (आशु-कार्यस्य संसिद्धिः; लब्धा च सा) — समस्तपदं कर्मरूपेण

• क्षेमेण: safely, in safety
• क्षेमेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करणवाचकः (instrumental: safely/with safety)

• प्रविशेत्: should enter
• प्रविशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गृहम्: home
• गृहम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta Mahāliṅga (Avimukteśvara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim, having bowed to the Avimukta Mahāliṅga, steps out of the shrine toward a village road; behind, the sanctum glows; ahead, the path opens, symbolizing swift success and safe homecoming.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Mahāliṅga
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single sincere darśana of Avimukta’s great Liṅga is portrayed as spiritually potent and practically auspicious—granting success and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta in Kāśī, centered on the Mahāliṅga of Avimukteśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (visiting and seeing) the Avimukta Mahāliṅga; the verse frames it as a pilgrim’s auspicious stop before continuing travel.