Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

विधिपूर्वं तदभ्यर्च्य प्राप्नुयाच्छिवमंदिरम् । शुभेश्वरश्च तद्याम्यां महाशुभफलप्रदः

Transliteration

vidhipūrvaṃ tadabhyarcya prāpnuyācchivamaṃdiram | śubheśvaraśca tadyāmyāṃ mahāśubhaphalapradaḥ

Translation

En l’adorant selon le rite prescrit, on parvient au séjour de Śiva. Au sud se tient Śubheśvara, dispensateur des fruits les plus hautement auspices.

Word by Word

• विधिपूर्वम्: in due/ritual manner
• विधिपूर्वम्: Adverbial (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि-पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (according to rule)

• तत्: that (him/it)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अभ्यर्च्य इति कर्म (that [deity/place])

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु; अभि+√अर्च्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• प्राप्नुयात्: should attain
• प्राप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु; प्र+√आप्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवमन्दिरम्: Śiva’s temple
• शिवमन्दिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुभेश्वरः: Śubheśvara (name)
• शुभेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• तत्: in that
• तत्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; याम्याम् इति विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः

• याम्याम्: southern (direction)
• याम्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषण

• महाशुभफलप्रदः: giver of great auspicious fruits
• महाशुभफलप्रदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-शुभ-फल-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास, विशेषण (of शुभेश्वरः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kaṇādeśa; Śubheśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee completes vidhi-pūrvaka worship at Kaṇādeśa; a visionary overlay shows ascent toward Śiva’s radiant abode; the route then points south to Śubheśvara, depicted as a benevolent liṅga granting mahā-śubha phala.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śiva
• Śubheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual correctness joined with devotion is presented as a direct path to Śiva’s state, while Kāśī’s shrines are praised as fruit-bestowing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śubheśvara, located to the south within the Kāśī sacred circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform worship (abhyarcya) in accordance with proper ritual procedure (vidhipūrvam).