Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

ओंकारसदृशं लिंगं न क्वचिज्जगतीतले । इति गौर्यै समाख्यातं देवदेवेन निश्चितम्

Transliteration

oṃkārasadṛśaṃ liṃgaṃ na kvacijjagatītale | iti gauryai samākhyātaṃ devadevena niścitam

Translation

Auf dem Antlitz der Erde gibt es nirgends einen Liṅga, der der Gestalt des Oṃkāra gleichkäme. So verkündete es der Deva der Devas der Gaurī als feststehende Wahrheit.

Word by Word

• ओंकारसदृशम्: similar to Oṃkāra
• ओंकारसदृशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओंकार + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—ओंकारस्य सदृशम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• क्वचित्: anywhere
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• जगतीतले: on the surface of the earth
• जगतीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—जगत्याः तलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• गौर्यै: to Gaurī
• गौर्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• समाख्यातम्: was explained/declared
• समाख्यातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + ख्या (धातु) → समाख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(इदं) समाख्यातम्’ = was declared

• देवदेवेन: by the God of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—देवानां देवः (देवदेवः)

• निश्चितम्: determined/ascertained
• निश्चितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + चि (धातु) → निश्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘निश्चितम्’ = firmly determined

Speaker

Skanda (narrating what Śiva said to Gaurī; deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Oṅkāreśvara / Oṃkāra-liṅga (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gaurī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Devadeva) instructs Gaurī, pointing to an Oṃkāra-shaped liṅga radiating light; the sacred cityscape of Kāśī frames the revelation, with subtle mantra glyphs in the aura.

Characters & Entities

• Oṃkāra (Praṇava)
• Liṅga
• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Devadeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Praṇava (Oṃ) is presented as a supreme spiritual principle, and the Oṃkāra-like Liṅga is praised as uniquely exalted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is Kāśī-kṣetra’s Liṅga tradition, highlighting an Oṃkāra-sadṛśa Liṅga celebrated within Kāśī Mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse is a doctrinal glorification (stuti) of the Liṅga’s unparalleled status.