Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यावंति संति लिंगानि वाराणस्यां महांत्यपि । उत्तमं तावतामेतदुत्तमांगवदुत्तमम्

Transliteration

yāvaṃti saṃti liṃgāni vārāṇasyāṃ mahāṃtyapi | uttamaṃ tāvatāmetaduttamāṃgavaduttamam

Translation

However many liṅgas there are in Vārāṇasī—even the great ones—this one is the best among them all, supreme like the highest limb, the head.

Word by Word

• yāvanti: as many as
• yāvanti: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; correl. adjective ‘as many as’

• santi: are/exist
• santi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• liṅgāni: liṅgas
• liṅgāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• vārāṇasyām: in Vārāṇasī
• vārāṇasyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative

• mahānti: great
• mahānti: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; irregular stem mahat

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (also/even)

• uttamam: the best
• uttamam: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate adjective/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; superlative

• tāvatām: of those many
• tāvatām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; ‘of so many/of that many’

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• uttamāṅgavat: like the head/chief part
• uttamāṅgavat: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uttamāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक-प्रत्ययान्त (वत्) adverbial ‘like/as’

• uttamam: best
• uttamam: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate adjective/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṛttivāseśvara (within Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / pilgrim-audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic Kāśī map-like tableau: numerous liṅga shrines dotting lanes and ghāṭas, with Kṛttivāseśvara depicted as a crowned central sanctum—‘head’ among the body of liṅgas.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Liṅgas
• Kṛttivāseśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Within Kāśī’s sacred landscape, certain shrines are praised as especially potent focal points of Śiva’s grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) broadly, with special supremacy attributed to Kṛttivāseśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse supports prioritizing darśana and worship of this foremost liṅga.