Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

यन्नामस्मरणादेव न भयं कलिकालतः । प्रणवाख्यान्महालिंगात्प्राच्यां कल्मषनाशनम्

Transliteration

yannāmasmaraṇādeva na bhayaṃ kalikālataḥ | praṇavākhyānmahāliṃgātprācyāṃ kalmaṣanāśanam

Translation

Par le seul souvenir de Son Nom, il n’est point de crainte, même à l’âge de Kali. À l’orient se dresse le grand Liṅga nommé Praṇava, qui détruit les souillures du péché.

Word by Word

• यत्: whose
• यत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (whose)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• स्मरणात्: from remembering
• स्मरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कलि-कालतः: from the time of Kali (Kali age)
• कलि-कालतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कलियुगस्य कालः)

• प्रणव-आख्यात्: from (that) called ‘Praṇava’
• प्रणव-आख्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रणवेन आख्यातम्)

• महा-लिङ्गात्: from the great liṅga
• महा-लिङ्गात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् लिङ्गम्)

• प्राच्याम्: in the eastern direction
• प्राच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कल्मष-नाशनम्: (that which is) the destroyer of sin
• कल्मष-नाशनम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कल्मषस्य नाशनम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Praṇava Mahāliṅga (in the eastern direction of Kāśī)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī’s eastern quarter folds hands before a tall liṅga labeled ‘Praṇava’; a subtle Oṃ glyph glows above; the atmosphere suggests Kali-yuga anxieties dissolving into calm.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Praṇava Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali Yuga, remembrance of Śiva’s name is a direct refuge that removes fear and impurity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Praṇava Mahāliṅga situated in the eastern part of Kāśī is praised as sin-destroying.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāma-smaraṇa (remembering/reciting the divine name) is highlighted as the effective practice.