Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

लिंगार्चनविधानज्ञो लिंगार्चनरतः सदा । त्र्यक्ष एव स विज्ञेयः साक्षाद्द्व्यक्षोपि मानवः

Transliteration

liṃgārcanavidhānajño liṃgārcanarataḥ sadā | tryakṣa eva sa vijñeyaḥ sākṣāddvyakṣopi mānavaḥ

Translation

One who knows the proper ordinance of Liṅga-worship and is ever devoted to it should be known as the Three-eyed Lord Himself—though outwardly he is a two-eyed human.

Word by Word

• लिङ्ग-अर्चन-विधान-ज्ञः: knower of the rules of liṅga-worship
• लिङ्ग-अर्चन-विधान-ज्ञः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गार्चनस्य विधानं तद् जानाति = knower of the procedure of liṅga-worship)

• लिङ्ग-अर्चन-रतः: devoted to liṅga-worship
• लिङ्ग-अर्चन-रतः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गार्चने रतः = devoted to liṅga-worship)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Temporal adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• त्र्यक्षः: Tryakṣa (the three-eyed one)
• त्र्यक्षः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्र्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषनाम (Śiva)

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विज्ञेयः: is to be known (as)
• विज्ञेयः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे क्तव्य-समर्थ (gerundive; to be known), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; धातु: ज्ञा उपसर्ग: वि

• साक्षात्: directly, as if in person
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (Adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/प्रमाणवाचक (directly, manifestly)

• द्व्यक्षः: two-eyed (one)
• द्व्यक्षः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्व्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• मानवः: a human
• मानवः: Karta (Apposition to saḥ/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) liṅga-arcana tradition

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble two-eyed human devotee, expert in liṅga-arcana, is shown with a subtle third-eye mark or aura, being honored by others as if Śiva Himself; the liṅga shrine glows behind.

Characters & Entities

• Tryakṣa (Śiva)
• Liṅga-arcana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mastery of right worship and steady devotion transforms the devotee, making him akin to Śiva in sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred frame, emphasizing the exalted status of Śiva-worshipers there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Learn and follow the ‘liṅgārcana-vidhāna’ and remain consistently engaged in liṅga worship.