Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

परिनिश्चित्य तावित्थं लिंगे संस्थाप्य पुण्यदे । तत्रैव संस्थितिं प्राप्तौ काशीं नाद्यापि मुंचतः

Transliteration

pariniścitya tāvitthaṃ liṃge saṃsthāpya puṇyade | tatraiva saṃsthitiṃ prāptau kāśīṃ nādyāpi muṃcataḥ

Translation

Thus, having resolved with certainty and establishing themselves in the merit-bestowing sacred liṅga, they attained abiding presence there; and even now they do not forsake Kāśī.

Word by Word

• परिनिश्चित्य: having ascertained/decided
• परिनिश्चित्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-नि-√चित् (धातु) → परिनिश्चित्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); धातुः—चित् (चेतयति/निश्चिनोति); उपसर्गाः—परि, नि; अर्थः—निश्चित्य/निर्णीय

• तावत्: thus far/then
• तावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/परिमाण-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि (so much/then)

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus, in this manner)

• लिङ्गे: in the liṅga
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• संस्थाप्य: having installed
• संस्थाप्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्था (धातु) → संस्थाप्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); उपसर्गः—सम्; अर्थः—स्थापयित्वा

• पुण्यदे: O giver of merit
• पुण्यदे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्यद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘हे पुण्यद’ (O giver of merit)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (there)

• एव: indeed, right there
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/only)

• संस्थितिम्: abiding, residence
• संस्थितिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्तौ: upon the two attaining
• प्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत-प्रत्ययः—क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; ‘(तयोः) प्राप्तौ’ = when the two have attained (locative dual)

• काशीम्: Kāśī
• काशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even

• मुंचतः: the two leave/abandon
• मुंचतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपदम्; पाठानुसारं ‘मुंचतः’ (मुञ्चतः) = the two abandon/leave

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of merit-bestowing devotees (puṇyadāḥ) stand with folded hands before a liṅga in Kāśī, their faces calm with certainty; the city appears timeless, suggesting ‘even now’ they remain.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Liṅga
• Puṇya (merit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Firm resolve and devotion centered on Śiva’s liṅga leads to lasting spiritual stability, symbolized by not leaving Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, portrayed as the place where realized devotion naturally becomes permanent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Establishing oneself in worship through liṅga-centered devotion (implied liṅga-pratiṣṭhā/saṃsthāpana).