Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

काश्यामेतानि लिंगानि सेवितानि शुभैषिभिः । मनोभिवांछितं दद्युरिह लोके परत्र च

Transliteration

kāśyāmetāni liṃgāni sevitāni śubhaiṣibhiḥ | manobhivāṃchitaṃ dadyuriha loke paratra ca

Translation

In Kāśī, these liṅgas—served and worshiped by seekers of auspiciousness—grant the heart’s desired aims, both in this world and in the world beyond.

Word by Word

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गानि)

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas, emblems (of Śiva)
• लिङ्गानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सेवितानि: worshipped, served
• सेवितानि: Karta-anvaya (Predicative to subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘served/worshipped’

• शुभैषिभिः: by seekers of auspiciousness
• शुभैषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ-एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक) = शुभ + एषिन् (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुभम् एषन्ति इति)

• मनःभिः: by minds, in their hearts
• मनःभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• वाञ्छितम्: the desired (boon)
• वाञ्छितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाञ्छित (प्रातिपदिक; वाञ्छ् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपदं (यत् इच्छितम्)

• दद्युः: would give, should grant
• दद्युः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• परत्र: in the hereafter
• परत्र: Desha-adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: in the other world/afterwards)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-liṅga-samūha (these liṅgas in Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic Kāśī sacred map: multiple liṅga shrines with devotees performing sevā—offering bilva leaves, water pots, lamps; above, a subtle cosmic overlay suggesting iha and para worlds receiving blessings; the city’s ghāṭas and spires form a sacred mandala.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śiva-liṅgas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to Kāśī’s liṅgas is framed as dharmic pursuit that fulfills both worldly welfare and posthumous good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as a whole, through the collective greatness of its liṅgas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (devotional service/worship) of the liṅgas by śubhaiṣins (seekers of auspiciousness).