Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामिह लिंगानां रत्नभूतमिदं परम् । अतो रत्नेश्वरं नाम परं निर्वाणरत्नदम्

Transliteration

sarveṣāmiha liṃgānāṃ ratnabhūtamidaṃ param | ato ratneśvaraṃ nāma paraṃ nirvāṇaratnadam

Translation

Unter allen Liṅgas hier ist dieser der höchste, wahrhaft wie ein Juwel. Darum trägt er den Namen Ratneśvara, der erhabenste Spender des Juwels der Befreiung (Nirvāṇa).

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इह: here
• इह: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: here)

• लिङ्गानाम्: of liṅgas
• लिङ्गानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रत्न-भूतम्: become a jewel; jewel-like
• रत्न-भूतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘इदम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भू धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘भूत’ = become; विशेषण

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: सम्बन्ध (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• रत्नेश्वरम्: Ratneśvara
• रत्नेश्वरम्: समानााधिकरण (Predicate/apposition with ‘नाम’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (proper name)

• नाम: (it is) named
• नाम: प्रत्यय (Naming/predicate marker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘नाम’ इति नामनिर्देश

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• निर्वाण-रत्न-दम्: giver of the jewel of liberation
• निर्वाण-रत्न-दम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of the named entity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा धातोः क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); ‘निर्वाणस्य रत्नं ददाति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण

Speaker

Śiva (Devadeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratneśvara-liṅga

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Umā (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Ratneśvara liṅga appears jewel-like, emitting a crystalline light; devotees perceive it as the ‘gem of liberation’ amid Kāśī’s sacred ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Ratneśvara
• Liṅga
• Nirvāṇa (Mokṣa)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text elevates Ratneśvara as a supreme śaiva emblem whose worship is oriented toward mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through the special glorification of Ratneśvara-liṅga within its sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies devotion and worship of Ratneśvara for the attainment of liberation (nirvāṇa).