Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

शशिभूषणसंज्ञं तु लिंगमत्र प्रतिष्ठितम् । तल्लिंगसेवनान्मर्त्यः शाशिभूषणतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

śaśibhūṣaṇasaṃjñaṃ tu liṃgamatra pratiṣṭhitam | talliṃgasevanānmartyaḥ śāśibhūṣaṇatāṃ vrajet

Translation

Ici est établi le liṅga nommé Śaśibhūṣaṇa. Par le service dévot de ce liṅga, le mortel parvient à l’état de Śaśibhūṣaṇa, partageant cette majesté divine.

Word by Word

• शशि-भूषण-संज्ञम्: having the name ‘Śaśibhūṣaṇa’
• शशि-भूषण-संज्ञम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शशि + भूषण + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘शशिभूषण इति संज्ञा यस्य’ (नामविशेषणम्)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘indeed/but’)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: is established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘established’

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular) in compound relation: ‘of that’

• लिङ्ग-सेवनात्: from serving the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-सेवनात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative singular); हेतौ (as cause): ‘from serving the liṅga’

• मर्त्यः: a mortal person
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• शशि-भूषण-ताम्: the status of Śaśibhūṣaṇa
• शशि-भूषण-ताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि + भूषण + ता (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुषः)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular); भाववाचक (state/quality): ‘the state of being Śaśibhūṣaṇa’

• व्रजेत्: should attain/go to
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विधिः (injunction)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaśibhūṣaṇa-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within Purāṇic frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene sanctum with a liṅga crowned by a crescent-moon emblem; devotees perform gentle service—washing, offering bilva and white flowers; the atmosphere is cool and silvery, suggesting moonlight and inner calm.

Characters & Entities

• Śaśibhūṣaṇa Liṅga
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Śiva (implied by liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional service (sevanā) to Śiva’s liṅga transforms the devotee, granting participation in divine qualities and status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śaśibhūṣaṇa Liṅga installed at this location in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-sevanā—ongoing service/worship (arcana, attendance, reverent practice) of the Śaśibhūṣaṇa liṅga.