Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

वैरोचनेश्वरं लिंगं स्वलीनात्पुरतः स्थितम् । तदुत्तरे बलीशं च महाबलविवर्धनम्

Transliteration

vairocaneśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ svalīnātpurataḥ sthitam | taduttare balīśaṃ ca mahābalavivardhanam

Translation

In front of Svalīnā stands the liṅga called Vairocaneśvara. To its north is (the liṅga) Balīśa, which increases great strength.

Word by Word

• वैरोचनेश्वरम्: Vairocaneśvara (name of the liṅga)
• वैरोचनेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरोचन-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वैरोचनस्य ईश्वरः)

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

• स्वलीनात्: from Svalīna (place/person-name)
• स्वलीनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-लीन (कृदन्त; √ली (लीङ्/श्लेषणे) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; ‘स्वलीन’ = स्वयम् लीनः (self-merged/absorbed)

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्थितम्: situated/placed
• स्थितम्: Kriya-vishesana (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• तदुत्तरे: to its north / in the northern side of that
• तदुत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य उत्तरः)

• बलीशम्: Balīśa (name of the liṅga)
• बलीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बल्याः/बलिनः ईश्वरः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• महाबलविवर्धनम्: increasing great strength
• महाबलविवर्धनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल-विवर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महद् बलं विवर्धयति इति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vairocaneśvara-liṅga; Balīśa-liṅga (near Svalīnā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands before a small stone liṅga shrine labeled Vairocaneśvara, with another shrine to the north labeled Balīśa; narrow Kāśī lanes, lamps, and garlands indicate a dense sacred quarter.

Characters & Entities

• Vairocaneśvara
• Svalīnā
• Balīśa
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is mapped as a living sacred landscape where specific Śiva-liṅgas confer distinct blessings, here especially the increase of spiritual and bodily strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shrines of Vairocaneśvara and Balīśa in Kāśī, located in relation to the spot named Svalīnā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse primarily gives sacred location and the fruit (strength-increase) associated with Balīśa.