Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

महाकालाभिधं लिंगं दर्शनान्मोक्षदं परम् । अयोगंधेश्वरं लिंगं पुष्करात्तीर्थसत्तमात्

Transliteration

mahākālābhidhaṃ liṃgaṃ darśanānmokṣadaṃ param | ayogaṃdheśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ puṣkarāttīrthasattamāt

Translation

The liṅga known as Mahākāla grants supreme liberation by its very darśana, the sacred sight. And the liṅga called Ayogaṃdheśvara has come from Puṣkara, the best of tīrthas.

Word by Word

• महाकाल-अभिधम्: named ‘Mahākāla’
• महाकाल-अभिधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महाकाल इति अभिधा यस्य)

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

• दर्शनात्: from seeing (it)
• दर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मोक्षदम्: granting liberation
• मोक्षदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षं ददाति इति)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अयोगंध-ईश्वरम्: the Lord of Ayogaṃdha
• अयोगंध-ईश्वरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयोगंध (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अयोगंधस्य ईश्वरः)

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

• पुष्करात्: from Puṣkara
• पुष्करात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तीर्थ-सत्तमात्: from the best of pilgrimage-places
• तीर्थ-सत्तमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थेषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-liṅga; Ayogaṃdheśvara-liṅga (from Puṣkara)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two shrines in Kāśī: Mahākāla-liṅga radiating liberation; Ayogaṃdheśvara-liṅga accompanied by symbols of Puṣkara (lotus lake, Brahmā imagery, desert hues) indicating its origin.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla Liṅga
• Ayogaṃdheśvara
• Puṣkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of certain Śiva-liṅgas in Kāśī is taught as a direct means toward mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākāla Liṅga in Kāśī is praised as mokṣa-giving; Puṣkara is referenced as the source-tīrtha of Ayogaṃdheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (devotional visitation/seeing) of Mahākāla Liṅga is the stated observance.