Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

प्रयागसंज्ञकम लिंगमर्चितम ब्रह्मलोकदम् । तत्र शांतिकरी गौरी पूजिता शांतिकृद्भवेत्

Transliteration

prayāgasaṃjñakama liṃgamarcitama brahmalokadam | tatra śāṃtikarī gaurī pūjitā śāṃtikṛdbhavet

Translation

Worship of the liṅga known as “Prayāga” bestows attainment of Brahmaloka. There, if Śāntikarī Gaurī is worshipped, she becomes the giver of peace and pacification.

Word by Word

• प्रयाग-संज्ञकम्: named ‘Prayāga’
• प्रयाग-संज्ञकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (having the designation/name of Prayāga)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अर्चितम्: worshipped
• अर्चितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्म-लोक-दम्: granting Brahma-loka
• ब्रह्म-लोक-दम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक, ‘giver’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (giver of Brahma-world)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• शान्ति-करī: peace-bestowing
• शान्ति-करī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (maker of peace)

• गौरी: Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• गौरी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूजिता: when worshipped
• पूजिता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (गौरी-विशेषण)

• शान्ति-कृत्: peace-causing
• शान्ति-कृत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक, ‘doer’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (maker of peace)

• भवेत्: would become / would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prayāga-saṃjñaka Liṅga (in Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī lane-temple interior: a black stone liṅga labeled ‘Prayāga’ adorned with bilva and white flowers; beside it Śāntikarī Gaurī seated, serene, granting peace; pilgrims with folded hands and lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Prayāga (name of a liṅga/tīrtha in Kāśī)
• Śiva-liṅga
• Brahmaloka
• Gaurī (Śāntikarī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sacred sites unite Śiva-worship with Devī-worship, granting both higher worlds (Brahmaloka) and immediate inner peace (śānti).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘Prayāga’ named Śiva-liṅga within the Kāśī sacred circuit, along with the nearby Śāntikarī Gaurī shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (worship) of the Prayāga-liṅga and pūjā of Śāntikarī Gaurī for the fruit of Brahmaloka and pacification.