Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

सापि प्राग्वासनायोगाल्लिंगार्चनरता सती । हित्वा मलयजक्षोदं विभूतिं बह्वमंस्त वै

Transliteration

sāpi prāgvāsanāyogālliṃgārcanaratā satī | hitvā malayajakṣodaṃ vibhūtiṃ bahvamaṃsta vai

Translation

പൂർവ്വവാസനയുടെ യോഗത്താൽ ആ സതിയും ലിംഗാർചനയിൽ രതയായി; ചന്ദനച്ചൂർണം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് വിഭൂതിയെ അത്യന്തം അമൂല്യമെന്നു കരുതി।

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also)

• प्राक्: formerly
• प्राक्: Kala (Time adverb/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: formerly/before)

• वासनायोगात्: due to the connection of past impressions
• वासनायोगात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासनायोग (प्रातिपदिक; वासना + योग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वासनायाः योगः)

• लिङ्गार्चनरता: devoted to worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्गार्चनरता: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग-अर्चन-रता (प्रातिपदिक; लिङ्ग + अर्चन + रत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य अर्चने रता)

• सती: virtuous woman
• सती: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक; √अस् + शतृ/स्त्रीरूप)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सा)

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having abandoned’

• मलयजक्षोदम्: sandalwood powder
• मलयजक्षोदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मलयज-क्षोद (प्रातिपदिक; मलयज + क्षोद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मलयजात् क्षोदः/चन्दनचूर्णम्)

• विभूतिम्: sacred ash
• विभूतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बहु: much, greatly
• बहु: Prakarsha (Degree/परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (much/greatly)

• अमंस्त: thought, considered
• अमंस्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/emphatic)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly framed as Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Viśveśvara-liṅga tradition (implied)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kalāvatī, serene and chaste, performs liṅga-pūjā; she sets aside fragrant sandal paste and reverently applies/holds vibhūti, with bilva leaves, water-pot, and lamp nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Vibhūti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prior spiritual impressions can ripen into devotion; Śaiva identity is expressed through liṅga-worship and reverence for vibhūti over mere sensual adornment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse aligns with Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Śaiva ethos centered on Kāśī and Liṅga worship, though no single named tīrtha is specified here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅgārcana (worship of the Śiva-liṅga) and the devotional use/esteem of vibhūti (sacred ash) are indicated.