Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

दिश सिद्धिं परामत्र दर्शनात्स्पर्शनान्नतेः । अस्य लिंगस्य ये भक्ता मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः

Transliteration

diśa siddhiṃ parāmatra darśanātsparśanānnateḥ | asya liṃgasya ye bhaktā manovākkāyakarmabhiḥ

Translation

Here, supreme attainment is granted through the very seeing, touching, and bowing (to this Liṅga). And those devotees of this Liṅga who serve with mind, speech, and bodily deeds…

Word by Word

• दिश: grant
• दिश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; √दिश् (प्रदाने)

• सिद्धिम्: success, attainment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सिद्धिम् इति विशेषणम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• दर्शनात्: from seeing
• दर्शनात्: Apadana/Hetu (Cause/Source/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ—‘from/through seeing’

• स्पर्शनात्: from touching
• स्पर्शनात्: Apadana/Hetu (Cause/Source/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ—‘from touching’

• नतेः: from bowing
• नतेः: Apadana/Hetu (Cause/Source/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/अपादान) एकवचन (वैदिक/काव्ये षष्ठी-रूपसदृशं); हेतौ—‘from bowing’

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Kartr (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• भक्ताः: devotees
• भक्ताः: Kartr (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; भज् धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मनः: with mind
• मनः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वे प्रथमाङ्गम्

• वाक्: with speech
• वाक्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वे द्वितीयाङ्गम्

• काय: with body
• काय: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वे तृतीयाङ्गम्

• कर्मभिः: by deeds
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व-समुच्चयार्थे

Speaker

Prince (Kumāra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: The concerned Kāśī-liṅga (unnamed in excerpt)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devotee asks that supreme attainment be granted merely by seeing, touching, and bowing to the liṅga; devotees serve with mind, speech, and body—suggested by a small group performing these acts.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Liṅga
• Devotees (bhaktāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple devotional acts—darśana, sparśa, and namaskāra—can bestow supreme spiritual benefit in a holy kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘atra’ points to Kāśī’s sacred locale in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where liṅga-darśana is especially meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (seeing), sparśana (touching), and nati/namaskāra (bowing) to the liṅga are presented as efficacious practices.