Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तौ निपात्य महादैत्यावकार्यकरणोद्यतौ । ततः परिणतिं यातो लिंगरूपेण कंदुकः

Transliteration

tau nipātya mahādaityāvakāryakaraṇodyatau | tataḥ pariṇatiṃ yāto liṃgarūpeṇa kaṃdukaḥ

Translation

Après avoir terrassé ces deux puissants démons, prêts à commettre l’injustice, Kanduka connut une merveilleuse métamorphose et s’établit sous la forme d’un Śiva-liṅga.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• निपात्य: having struck down
• निपात्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि√पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having thrown down/caused to fall’

• महादैत्यौ: the two great demons
• महादैत्यौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + दैत्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• अकार्यकरणोद्यतौ: intent on doing improper deeds
• अकार्यकरणोद्यतौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकार्य-करण-उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक) = अकार्य + करण + उद्यत
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम् (Dual); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (indeclinable), अव्यय-प्रयोगः (ablatival adverb)

• परिणतिम्: transformation; change
• परिणतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिणति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• यातः: attained; became
• यातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (Past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘gone/attained’

• लिङ्गरूपेण: in the form of a liṅga
• लिङ्गरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग-रूप (प्रातिपदिक) = लिङ्ग + रूप
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कंदुकः: Kanduka (name)
• कंदुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंदुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextually Skanda in Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kandukeśvara (liṅga)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce encounter where two great demons fall; immediately the heroic figure ‘Kanduka’ becomes a radiant Śiva-liṅga, the battlefield dissolving into sanctified stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Kanduka
• Daityas (demons)
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma is destroyed, the Divine becomes accessible through a tangible sacred form—here, the liṅga as a focus for devotion in Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The emerging sanctity relates to Kandukeśvara, a liṅga-site in Kāśī connected with the vicinity of Jyeṣṭheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it establishes the liṅga’s origin, which later supports worship and darśana.