Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अतः स्वलीनं तत्पूर्वे लिंगं पूज्यं प्रयत्नतः । सदैव ज्ञाननिष्ठानां परमानंदमिच्छताम् । या गतिर्विहिता तेषां स्वलीने सा तनुत्यजाम्

Transliteration

ataḥ svalīnaṃ tatpūrve liṃgaṃ pūjyaṃ prayatnataḥ | sadaiva jñānaniṣṭhānāṃ paramānaṃdamicchatām | yā gatirvihitā teṣāṃ svalīne sā tanutyajām

Translation

ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಅದರ ಪೂರ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ‘ಸ್ವಲೀನ’ ಎಂಬ ಲಿಂಗವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ಪೂಜಿಸಬೇಕು। ಸದಾ ಜ್ಞಾನನಿಷ್ಠರಾಗಿದ್ದು ಪರಮಾನಂದವನ್ನು ಬಯಸುವವರಿಗೆ ವಿಧಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಗತಿ (ಮೋಕ್ಷಫಲ) ಯಾವದೋ, ದೇಹತ್ಯಾಗಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವಲೀನದಲ್ಲೇ ಅದೇ ಗತಿ ಲಭಿಸುತ್ತದೆ।

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्ययम् (therefore/from that)

• sva-līnam: self-merged (named Svalīna)
• sva-līnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva + līna (कृदन्त; √lī लि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; विशेषणम् (liṅgam)

• tat-pūrve: in the earlier part/direction of that
• tat-pūrve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in the earlier (place/quarter) of that’

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• pūjyam: to be worshipped
• pūjyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (कृदन्त; √pūj पूज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• prayatnataḥ: with effort
• prayatnataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (adverb) — ‘with effort’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (always)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• jñāna-niṣṭhānām: of those steadfast in knowledge
• jñāna-niṣṭhānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna + niṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural; ‘of those established in knowledge’

• parama-ānandam: supreme bliss
• parama-ānandam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• icchatām: of those who desire
• icchatām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (इष्) / √iच्छ् (इच्छ्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘icchat’ — षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘of those desiring’

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• gatiḥ: state/goal/destination
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• vihitā: ordained
• vihitā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√dhā (धा) → vihita (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• teṣām: for them / of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural

• sva-līne: in (the liṅga) Svalīna
• sva-līne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + līna (कृदन्त; √lī लि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; (नामरूपेण) ‘in Svalīna (liṅga)’

• sā: that (same)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; निर्देशक-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• tanu-tyajām: of those who give up the body (at death)
• tanu-tyajām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu + tyaj (कृदन्त; √tyaj त्यज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural; ‘of those who abandon the body’ (agent-noun/participle used substantively)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svalīna-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Eastward shrine of Svalīna: a serene sanctum where a jñāna-niṣṭha pilgrim worships with quiet intensity; the scene subtly hints at the ‘last moment’—a peaceful passing with Śiva’s presence guiding the soul toward its destined gati.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Svalīna-liṅga
• Jñānaniṣṭhā
• Paramānanda
• Tanutyāga (death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is presented as a mokṣa-field: for knowledge-rooted seekers, worship at Svalīna supports the highest end at life’s final transition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Svalīna-liṅga, located to the east of the previously mentioned shrine-area, praised for its liberation-associated fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Earnest pūjā of the Svalīna-liṅga is recommended, especially for jñāna-niṣṭha aspirants seeking paramānanda and a blessed end.