Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

परं लिंगार्चनस्थानमविमुक्तेश्वरेश्वरम् । तत्र पूजां सकृत्कृत्वा कृतकृत्यो नरो भवेत्

Transliteration

paraṃ liṃgārcanasthānamavimukteśvareśvaram | tatra pūjāṃ sakṛtkṛtvā kṛtakṛtyo naro bhavet

Translation

Avimukteśvara ist der höchste Ort zur Verehrung des Liṅga. Wer dort auch nur einmal Pūjā darbringt, wird zu einem, der den Sinn des Lebens erfüllt hat.

Word by Word

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• लिङ्गार्चनस्थानम्: the place for worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्गार्चनस्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + arcana (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (place of worship of the liṅga)

• अविमुक्तेश्वरेश्वरम्: Avimukteśvara, the supreme Lord
• अविमुक्तेश्वरेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avimukta (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (the Lord of Avimukteśvara / Lord of the Lord)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (Frequency/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक/परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (once)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) ; kṛtvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• कृतकृत्यः: one who has accomplished his purpose
• कृतकृत्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ) + kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (one whose duty is done; fulfilled)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice praising Kāśī shrines)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukteśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/seekers within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside/near the Avimukteśvara shrine: a devotee performs a single, wholehearted liṅga-pūjā with water, bilva leaves, flowers, incense, and lamp; the liṅga radiates calm power, signifying life’s fulfillment.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukteśvara
• Liṅga
• Pūjā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s presence at Avimukteśvara makes even a single act of worship spiritually complete and life-fulfilling.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukteśvara in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as the सर्वोत्तम liṅgārcana-sthāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pūjā at Avimukteśvara—stated to yield consummate spiritual fulfillment even if done once.