Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

कोस्य लिंगस्य महिमा केनैतच्च प्रतिष्ठितम् । एतं विस्तरतो ब्रूहि गौरीहृदयनंदन

Transliteration

kosya liṃgasya mahimā kenaitacca pratiṣṭhitam | etaṃ vistarato brūhi gaurīhṛdayanaṃdana

Translation

Quelle est la gloire de ce liṅga, et par qui fut-il établi ? Explique-le-moi en détail, ô fils bien-aimé de Gaurī.

Word by Word

• कः: who/which
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महिमा: glory, greatness
• महिमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपे (Accusative sense)

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

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: क्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (set/established)

• एतम्: this (one)
• एतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विस्तरतः: in detail
• विस्तरतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial), तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थ (in detail/at length)

• ब्रूहि: tell, speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गौरीहृदयनन्दन: O delight of Gaurī’s heart
• गौरीहृदयनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी + हृदय + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘गौर्याः हृदयस्य नन्दनः’

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratneśvara (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agastya presses for details: the liṅga’s glory and the identity of its establisher; Skanda is addressed as Gaurī’s beloved son, emphasizing divine authority and tenderness.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Gaurī
• Skanda
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Understanding the mahimā (spiritual potency) and pratiṣṭhā (consecration history) of a liṅga deepens devotion and right orientation to pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is Ratneśvara liṅga in Kāśī, whose glory and establishment are being asked about.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (establishment/consecration) is referenced, though not prescribed as a step-by-step ritual here.