Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

परमानंदरूपाणि संति लिंगान्यनेकशः । चतुर्दशसु लोकेषु कृतिनो ये वसंति हि

Transliteration

paramānaṃdarūpāṇi saṃti liṃgānyanekaśaḥ | caturdaśasu lokeṣu kṛtino ye vasaṃti hi

Translation

Liṅgas of the form of supreme bliss exist in countless numbers. Indeed, across the fourteen worlds dwell the meritorious ones…

Word by Word

• परमानन्दरूपाणि: having the form of supreme bliss
• परमानन्दरूपाणि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परम-आनन्दस्य रूपाणि)

• सन्ति: are, exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अनेकशः: in many (numerous) ways; manyfold
• अनेकशः: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक/adverb; ‘in many ways/many times’)

• चतुर्दशसु: in the fourteen
• चतुर्दशसु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दशन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (द्विगु-समासः) चतुर्दश (14) + सु (सप्तमी-बहुवचन-प्रत्यय); सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; (लोकेषु इति पदं विशेषयति)

• लोकेषु: in the worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• कृतिनः: meritorious ones, accomplished persons
• कृतिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• वसन्ति: dwell, reside
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing explanation to Gaurī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandavana/Kāśī liṅga-samūha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary panorama: innumerable liṅgas shimmering as embodiments of supreme bliss, with subtle suggestion of the fourteen worlds—layers of existence—populated by the meritorious.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-liṅgas
• Fourteen worlds (Caturdaśa-loka)
• Meritorious beings (Kṛtinaḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s liṅga-presence is cosmic and bliss-natured; merit and devotion connect beings across worlds to this sacred principle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī/Ānandavana as the context for discussing bliss-formed liṅgas, while also expanding to the fourteen worlds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse frames liṅga worship as a universal, multi-world sacred reality.