Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

नकुलीशात्पुरोभागे दृष्टा भीमेश्वरं प्रभुम् । महाभीमानि पापानि प्रणश्यंति हि तत्क्षणात्

Transliteration

nakulīśātpurobhāge dṛṣṭā bhīmeśvaraṃ prabhum | mahābhīmāni pāpāni praṇaśyaṃti hi tatkṣaṇāt

Translation

Devant Nakulīśa, à la vue du Seigneur Bhīmeśvara, même les fautes les plus effroyables sont anéanties à l’instant même.

Word by Word

• नकुलीशात्: from Nakulīśa (place/person)
• नकुलीशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुलीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• पुरोभागे: in the front/forepart
• पुरोभागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• भीमेश्वरम्: Bhīmeśvara
• भीमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भीमस्य ईश्वरः) / नामधेय; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भीमेश्वरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• महाभीमानि: very dreadful
• महाभीमानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + भीम (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महानि भीमानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘पापानि’ इति विशेषणम्

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रणश्यन्ति: perish
• प्रणश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्क्षणात्: at that very moment
• तत्क्षणात्: Apadana (Ablative of time/कालापादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्मिन् क्षणे/तत् क्षणः), पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-अपादान/हेतु

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhīmeśvara (before Nakulīśa)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before the Nakulīśa shrine-marker, the pilgrim turns and beholds Bhīmeśvara; dark clouds labeled ‘mahābhīma pāpa’ shatter instantly into rays; the liṅga appears steadfast and formidable yet compassionate.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmeśvara (Śiva)
• Nakulīśa/Lakulīśa (Pāśupata lineage reference)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-darśana in Kāśī is depicted as immediately purifying, emphasizing grace and the sanctity of sacred sight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhīmeśvara in Kāśī, situated before/near a shrine or marker associated with Nakulīśa (Lakulīśa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (reverent beholding) of Bhīmeśvara is itself presented as the efficacious act.