Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

असकृच्चिन्तयामास किं लिंगं क्षिप्रसिद्धिदम् । यत्र निश्चलतामेति तपस्तनयकाम्यया

Transliteration

asakṛccintayāmāsa kiṃ liṃgaṃ kṣiprasiddhidam | yatra niścalatāmeti tapastanayakāmyayā

Translation

Il se mit à réfléchir sans cesse : «Quel liṅga accorde un accomplissement rapide, là où, par le tapas, on obtient une stabilité inébranlable, dans le désir d’un fils ?»

Word by Word

• असकृत्: repeatedly
• असकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly)

• चिन्तयामास: he pondered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—चिन्त् (चिन्तने)

• किम्: which? / what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• क्षिप्रसिद्धिदम्: giving quick success
• क्षिप्रसिद्धिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्र-सिद्धि-द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (क्षिप्रा सिद्धिः यस्य/येन ददाति तत्)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• निश्चलताम्: steadiness
• निश्चलताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• एति: attains
• एति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—इ (गत्यर्थे)

• तपः: of austerity
• तपः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तनय: of a son
• तनय: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• काम्यया: by (the) desire
• काम्यया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे—‘काम्यया’ (by the desire)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee sits in contemplation near a Kāśī shrine, counting prayer beads, eyes fixed on a liṅga, while multiple temple spires appear in the background—symbolizing many choices and the search for the swift-granting liṅga for progeny.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-liṅga (general)
• Tapas (austerity)
• Putra-kāmya (desire for a son)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is purposeful: different Kāśī liṅgas are contemplated as bestowing specific fruits, when approached with disciplined tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s liṅga-circuit in general—presented as a field where swift siddhi and desired boons may be attained.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken with putra-kāmyā (desire for offspring) in connection with a chosen liṅga.