Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

नीलकंठेश्वरं लिंगं काश्यां यैः परिपूजितम् । नीलकंठास्त एव स्युस्तएव शशिभूषणाः

Transliteration

nīlakaṃṭheśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ kāśyāṃ yaiḥ paripūjitam | nīlakaṃṭhāsta eva syustaeva śaśibhūṣaṇāḥ

Translation

Those who duly worship the Liṅga of Nīlakaṇṭheśvara in Kāśī become like Nīlakaṇṭha Himself; indeed, they become like the Lord adorned with the moon.

Word by Word

• नीलकण्ठेश्वरम्: Nīlakaṇṭheśvara (the lord Nīlakaṇṭha)
• नीलकण्ठेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीलकण्ठ-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; नीलकण्ठ + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘नीलकण्ठस्य ईश्वरः’ (नाम)

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

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

• यैः: by whom (by those who)
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृवाचक

• परिपूजितम्: worshipped (fully)
• परिपूजितम्: Karma (Object qualified/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि√पूज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गस्य)

• नीलकण्ठाः: Nīlakaṇṭhas (become like Nīlakaṇṭha)
• नीलकण्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील-कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (रूढ-नाम)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• स्युः: would be / become
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• शशिभूषणाः: those adorned with the moon (like Śiva)
• शशिभूषणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि-भूषण (प्रातिपदिक; शशि + भूषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः — ‘शशिः भूषणं यस्य’ (चन्द्रभूषिताः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nīlakaṇṭheśvara Liṅga (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees offer abhiṣeka to Nīlakaṇṭheśvara liṅga; above, a subtle vision of Śiva with blue throat and crescent moon appears, indicating the worshipper’s promised likeness.

Characters & Entities

• Nīlakaṇṭheśvara
• Śiva (Śaśibhūṣaṇa)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional worship in Kāśī is said to transform the devotee spiritually, granting Śiva-like qualities and nearness to the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nīlakaṇṭheśvara Liṅga in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Paripūjā—complete and reverent worship of the Liṅga (implying offerings, mantra, and devotion).