Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कोटिभोज्यफलं सम्यगेकैक परिसंख्यया । अयं विश्वेश्वरः साक्षात्स्थावरात्मा जगत्प्रभुः

Transliteration

koṭibhojyaphalaṃ samyagekaika parisaṃkhyayā | ayaṃ viśveśvaraḥ sākṣātsthāvarātmā jagatprabhuḥ

Translation

By a true reckoning, each single act here yields the fruit of feeding crores. This Viśveśvara is manifestly the Lord of the world—whose very essence abides in the immovable form of the liṅga.

Word by Word

• कोटि-भोज्य-फलम्: the fruit (merit) of feeding a crore (of people)
• कोटि-भोज्य-फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + भोज्य (√भुज् भुज्-भोजने, यत्) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘कोट्या भोज्यस्य फलम्’ (तत्पुरुष)

• सम्यक्: properly, fully
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• एकैक: each one (individually)
• एकैक: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकैक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘एक + एक’ (itaretara-द्वन्द्व, distributive: each single)

• परिसंख्यया: by counting/enumeration
• परिसंख्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिसंख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विश्व-ईश्वरः: Viśveśvara (Lord of all)
• विश्व-ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘Lord of the universe’)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: directly/manifestly)

• स्थावर-आत्मा: the very self of the immobile beings
• स्थावर-आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘स्थावराणाम् आत्मा’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• जगत्-प्रभुः: Lord of the world
• जगत्-प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘Lord of the world’)

Speaker

Śiva (contextual continuity in first-person section; praising Viśveśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience in Kāśī-khaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Viśveśvara liṅga stands radiant and immovable at the sanctum’s center, while devotees offer lamps and food outside; a subtle cosmic aura suggests ‘jagat-prabhu’ pervading the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Liṅga
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī’s Viśveśvara domain, devotional acts gain vastly multiplied merit because the Lord is directly present.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viśveśvara (Kāśī Viśvanātha) and his kṣetra in Vārāṇasī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly continues the theme of feeding/hospitality, stating its amplified fruit in the Viśveśvara precinct.