Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

लिंगमत्रीश्वरं दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मतेजोभिवर्धते । कर्कोट वाप्या ईशाने मरीचेः कुंडमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

liṃgamatrīśvaraṃ dṛṣṭvā brahmatejobhivardhate | karkoṭa vāpyā īśāne marīceḥ kuṃḍamuttamam

Translation

അത്രീശ്വരൻ എന്ന ലിംഗദർശനത്താൽ ബ്രഹ്മതേജസ് വർധിക്കുന്നു. ഈശാന ദിക്കിൽ കർക്കോട വാപിയും മരീചിയുടെ ഉത്തമ കുണ്ടവും ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अत्रीश्वरम्: Atrīśvara (Lord of Atri)
• अत्रीश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Apposition to 'लिङ्गम्'

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• ब्रह्मतेजः: Brahma-splendor (brahmic radiance)
• ब्रह्मतेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• अभिवर्धते: increases, grows
• अभिवर्धते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कर्कोट: Karkoṭa (name)
• कर्कोट: Visheshya (Head noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कोट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (नाम)

• वाप्या: a well/pond (vāpī)
• वाप्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ईशाने: in the northeast
• ईशाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular (direction: northeast)

• मरीचेः: of Marīci
• मरीचेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• कुण्डम्: a sacred pool
• कुण्डम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; agrees with 'कुण्डम्'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Atrīśvara; Karkoṭa-vāpī; Marīci-kuṇḍa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stone liṅga shrine labeled Atrīśvara; a pilgrim stands with folded hands as a subtle aura rises; in the background, a path leads northeast toward a stepped vāpī and a small kuṇḍa shaded by trees.

Characters & Entities

• Atrīśvara
• Śiva-liṅga
• Karkoṭa-vāpyā
• Marīci-kuṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of specific Kāśī-liṅgas is taught as spiritually transformative, increasing inner radiance (brahmatejas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Atrīśvara-liṅga, Karkoṭa-vāpyā (step-well), and Marīci-kuṇḍa in Kāśī’s Avimukta sacred topography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (reverent viewing) of Atrīśvara is highlighted; the verse also serves as a directional guide to nearby tīrthas.