Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

सेव्योत्तरवहा नित्यं लिंगमर्च्यं प्रयत्नतः । दमो दानं दया नित्यं कर्तव्यं मुक्तिकांक्षिभिः

Transliteration

sevyottaravahā nityaṃ liṃgamarcyaṃ prayatnataḥ | damo dānaṃ dayā nityaṃ kartavyaṃ muktikāṃkṣibhiḥ

Translation

„Dient täglich der Uttaravāhā und verehrt mit Eifer den Liṅga. Selbstbeherrschung, Gabe und Mitgefühl sollen stets von denen geübt werden, die nach Befreiung verlangen.“

Word by Word

• सेव्या: to be served
• सेव्या: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सेव् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘to be served’

• उत्तरवहा: the north-flowing (river, i.e., Gaṅgā)
• उत्तरवहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + वहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तरं वहति/वहती)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

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

• अर्च्यम्: to be worshipped
• अर्च्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort / diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• दमः: self-control
• दमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘to be done’

• मुक्तिकाङ्क्षिभिः: by those who desire liberation
• मुक्तिकाङ्क्षिभिः: Kartr-karana (Agent group / by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुक्तेः काङ्क्षी)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Uttaravāhā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ / mumukṣu-oriented audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Morning on Kāśī ghāṭs: devotees serve the Uttaravāhā waters—sweeping steps, offering lamps/flowers—then proceed to a shrine to worship a Śiva-liṅga; emphasis on disciplined, humble action and compassionate giving.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Uttaravāhā
• Liṅga
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is fulfilled through daily worship and ethical virtues—self-restraint, charity, and compassion—aimed at mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Uttaravāhā in Kāśī, along with liṅga-worship within the Kāśī sacred field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daily service to Uttaravāhā and diligent liṅgārcana, alongside practicing dama (self-control), dāna (charity), and dayā (compassion).