Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

उत्तरे कृत्तिवासस्य वाराणस्यां प्रयत्नतः । वृद्धकालेश्वरं लिंगं द्रष्टव्यं सिद्धिकामुकैः

Transliteration

uttare kṛttivāsasya vārāṇasyāṃ prayatnataḥ | vṛddhakāleśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ draṣṭavyaṃ siddhikāmukaiḥ

Translation

In Vārāṇasī, to the north of Kṛttivāsa, the liṅga of Vṛddhakāleśvara should be sought and beheld with effort by those who desire spiritual attainments.

Word by Word

• उत्तरे: to the north/in the northern part
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; दिक्शब्द (directional)

• कृत्तिवासस्य: of Kṛttivāsa
• कृत्तिवासस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (name: 'Kṛttivāsa'), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort/carefully
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: with effort/carefully)

• वृद्धकालेश्वरम्: Vṛddhakāleśvara
• वृद्धकालेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (proper name), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्रष्टव्यम्: should be seen/visited
• द्रष्टव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → द्रष्टव्य (कृदन्त-तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate: 'is to be seen')

• सिद्धिकामुकैः: by those desiring attainment/success
• सिद्धिकामुकैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + कामुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (desiderative: 'desiring success'), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator within Skanda’s Kāśī Māhātmya discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛddhakāleśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim group consults a local guide near a shrine of Kṛttivāsa, then proceeds north through narrow Kāśī lanes toward a small sanctum where the Vṛddhakāleśvara liṅga awaits; the seekers carry flowers and bilva, faces intent on siddhi.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Kṛttivāsa
• Vṛddhakāleśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s liberation-map is also a pilgrim’s map: earnest darśana of specific liṅgas is praised as a direct means to siddhi.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vṛddhakāleśvara-liṅga, located north of Kṛttivāsa in Vārāṇasī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (visiting/seeing) of the Vṛddhakāleśvara liṅga with sincere effort.