Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

तव प्रतिनिधी कृत्यास्माभिस्त्वद्भक्तिभावितैः । प्रतिष्ठितेषु लिंगेषु सान्निध्यं भवतोऽस्त्विह

Transliteration

tava pratinidhī kṛtyāsmābhistvadbhaktibhāvitaiḥ | pratiṣṭhiteṣu liṃgeṣu sānnidhyaṃ bhavato'stviha

Translation

Nous, animés par la dévotion envers Toi, établirons (ces liṅgas) comme Tes représentants ; que Ta présence divine demeure ici, dans ces liṅgas consacrés.

Word by Word

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रतिनिधिः: representative
• प्रतिनिधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• कृत्या: should be made/established
• कृत्या: Predicate adjective (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done/should be made)

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वत्-भक्ति-भावितैः: by us who are imbued with devotion to you
• त्वत्-भक्ति-भावितैः: Karana/Agent qualifier (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भावित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भू/√भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (त्वत्सम्बन्धिनी भक्तिः तया भाविताः)

• प्रतिष्ठितेषु: in the established
• प्रतिष्ठितेषु: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्रति+√स्था)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; विशेषण (लिङ्गेषु)

• लिङ्गेषु: in the liṅgas (emblems)
• लिङ्गेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• सान्निध्यम्: presence
• सान्निध्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• भवतः: of you (revered)
• भवतः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• अस्तु: may there be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adverbial (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

Speaker

Kāśī-resident brāhmaṇas/devotees (addressing Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī liṅga-s (collective within Avimukta)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees perform liṅga-pratiṣṭhā in Kāśī: a newly installed black stone liṅga on a yoni-pīṭha, kalasha waters poured, priests chanting; a subtle aura indicates Śiva’s sānnidhya entering and abiding.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Liṅga
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecrated liṅgas are affirmed as living sites of Śiva’s presence when established with genuine devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, where liṅga-pratiṣṭhā is linked to the abiding presence (sānnidhya) of Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā—establishing and consecrating liṅgas as Śiva’s representatives, seeking His sānnidhya.