Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

पुरूरवेश्वरं लिंगं तदुदीच्यां व्यवस्थितम् । द्रष्टव्यं तत्प्रयत्नेन चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम्

Transliteration

purūraveśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ tadudīcyāṃ vyavasthitam | draṣṭavyaṃ tatprayatnena caturvargaphalapradam

Translation

To the north stands the liṅga of Purūraveśvara. It should be visited with earnest effort, for it bestows the fruits of the fourfold aims of life—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.

Word by Word

• पुरूरवेश्वरम्: (the) Purūraveśvara
• पुरूरवेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरूरव + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः पुरूरवस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (उदीच्याम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• उदीच्याम्: in the north
• उदीच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यवस्थितम्: situated/established
• व्यवस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवस्था (प्रातिपदिक); √स्था (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्थित’ = placed/established

• द्रष्टव्यम्: should be seen
• द्रष्टव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) तव्यत्-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि/कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘should be seen’

• तत्: with that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (प्रयत्नेन इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम्: bestowing the fruits of the four aims of life
• चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वर्ग + फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः चतुर्वर्गस्य फलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) + प्रद (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Purūraveśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience within the Kāśī-māhātmya dialogue tradition

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A northern-facing shrine of Purūraveśvara; four symbolic emblems (dharma-śāstra, prosperity vessel, love-flower, and mokṣa-lotus/light) subtly surround the liṅga as the pilgrim offers worship with determination.

Characters & Entities

• Purūraveśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Caturvarga (puruṣārthas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s liṅgas are portrayed as complete spiritual supports, capable of granting all puruṣārthas culminating in mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Purūraveśvara liṅga, located to the north within this Kāśī sacred circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana/visitation with sincere effort (prayatna) as a devotional discipline.