Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

पूजामात्रं विधायास्य लिंगराजस्य भक्तितः । सहस्रहेमकमलपूजाफलमवाप्यते

Transliteration

pūjāmātraṃ vidhāyāsya liṃgarājasya bhaktitaḥ | sahasrahemakamalapūjāphalamavāpyate

Translation

En accomplissant ne fût-ce qu’un culte simple envers ce «Roi des Liṅgas» avec dévotion, on obtient le fruit d’une adoration faite avec mille lotus d’or.

Word by Word

• pūjā-mātram: mere worship (only worship)
• pūjā-mātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मात्रा-विशिष्टा पूजा)

• vidhāya: having performed
• vidhāya: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा, धारण-स्थापनयोः) उपसर्गः वि-; क्त्वान्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having performed/done’

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• liṅga-rājasya: of the Lord of the Liṅga
• liṅga-rājasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (लिङ्गस्य राजा)

• bhaktitaḥ: out of devotion
• bhaktitaḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/through devotion’

• sahasra-hema-kamala-pūjā-phalam: the fruit of worship with a thousand golden lotuses
• sahasra-hema-kamala-pūjā-phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + hema (प्रातिपदिक) + kamala (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (सहस्र-हेम-कमल-पूजायाः फलम्)

• avāpyate: is obtained
• avāpyate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√āp (आप्, प्राप्तौ)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘is obtained’

Speaker

Śiva (Kāśīkhaṇḍa Liṅga glorification)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Liṅgarāja (Kāśī-liṅga)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Amarāḥ (devas/immortals)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Kāśī offers a simple flower and water to the majestic ‘Liṅgarāja’ in a sanctum glowing with lamps; the unseen merit is visualized as a shower of golden lotuses.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅgarāja (King of Liṅgas)
• Golden lotus offering (hema-kamala)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion (bhakti) is valued above material opulence; a modest pūjā can equal lavish offerings when done in true reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through the exaltation of a preeminent Liṅga revered as ‘Liṅgarāja’ within the chapter’s sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga pūjā—worship of the Liṅga—emphasizing devotional intention rather than costly materials.