Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

भूदारोपि न भूदारं तथाकुर्याद्यथाऽन्यतः । सर्वा लिंगमयी काशी यतस्तद्भीतियंत्रितः

Transliteration

bhūdāropi na bhūdāraṃ tathākuryādyathā'nyataḥ | sarvā liṃgamayī kāśī yatastadbhītiyaṃtritaḥ

Translation

സ്വഭാവത്തിൽ ഉഗ്രനായവനും ഇവിടെ മറ്റിടങ്ങളിലേതുപോലെ ഉഗ്രമായി പെരുമാറുന്നില്ല; കാരണം സമസ്ത കാശിയും ലിംഗമയീ, ആ പരതത്ത്വത്തോടുള്ള ഭയഭക്തിയാൽ എല്ലാവരും നിയന്ത്രിതരാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• भू-दारः: the mountain (earth-holder)
• भू-दारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (भूमेः दारः/भूदारः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

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

• भू-दारम्: the mountain
• भू-दारम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः

• तथा: thus / in that way
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कुर्यात्: would do / should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/just as)

• अन्यतः: from elsewhere / otherwise
• अन्यतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक/दिशावाचक (from elsewhere/otherwise)

• सर्वा: entire / wholly
• सर्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (काशी)

• लिङ्ग-मयी: pervaded by the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-मयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गेन मयी/लिङ्गमयी); विशेषणम् (काशी)

• काशी: Kashi
• काशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (because/whence)

• तत्-भीति-यन्त्रितः: restrained by fear of that (place/power)
• तत्-भीति-यन्त्रितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भीति (प्रातिपदिक) + यन्त्रित (कृदन्त, यन्त्र् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तस्य भीत्या यन्त्रितः); विशेषणम् (भूदारः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic vision of Kāśī where every stone, tree, and ghat subtly bears the mark of the Liṅga; fierce beings appear softened, heads bowed, as an invisible Śiva-aura restrains all movement.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śiva
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s holiness is grounded in Śiva’s all-pervading presence (liṅgamayī), which disciplines the mind and turns beings toward dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The entire Kāśī-kṣetra as a manifestation of Śiva’s Liṅga-presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse states a theological basis for Kāśī’s transformative power.