Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

किं बिभेति नरो धीरः कृतादघशिलोच्चयात् । अविमुक्तेश लिंगस्य भक्ति वज्रधरो यदि

Transliteration

kiṃ bibheti naro dhīraḥ kṛtādaghaśiloccayāt | avimukteśa liṃgasya bhakti vajradharo yadi

Translation

ചെയ്ത പാപങ്ങളുടെ പർവ്വതസമമായ കൂമ്പാരത്തെ ധീരൻ എന്തിന് ഭയപ്പെടണം? അവിമുക്തേശലിംഗത്തിൽ വജ്രസമമായ അചഞ്ചല ഭക്തി അവനുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ മതി।

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• बिभेति: fears
• बिभेति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• धीरः: steadfast, courageous
• धीरः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण of नरः

• कृत: done, committed
• कृत: Sambandha (Genitival/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); used as पूर्वपद in समास

• अघ: sin
• अघ: Sambandha (Genitival/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; used as मध्यपद in समास

• शिल: rock, mass
• शिल: Sambandha (Genitival/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘rock/mass’; used as पूर्वपद in समास

• उच्चयात्: from the heap (mountain)
• उच्चयात्: Apādāna (Source/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; समास: कृत-अघ-शिल-उच्चय (तत्पुरुष: ‘heap/mountain of sin committed’)

• अविमुक्तेश: of Avimukteśa (Lord of Avimukta)
• अविमुक्तेश: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; sandhi रूप: अविमुक्तेश (= अविमुक्त-ईशस्य)

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• वज्रधरः: Vajradhara (Indra)
• वज्रधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समास: वज्र-धर (‘holder of the thunderbolt’, i.e., Indra)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तवाचक (conditional conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukteśa (Avimukta, Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands unwavering before Avimukteśa Liṅga; behind him looms a dark ‘mountain’ symbolizing sins, cracking and dissolving as a thunderbolt-like aura of devotion radiates from his heart.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukteśa
• Liṅga
• Bhakti (devotion)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Firm devotion to Avimukteśa is taught as stronger than even vast accumulations of sin, removing fear and inner weakness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta/Kāśī via the Liṅga of Avimukteśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cultivating unwavering bhakti toward Avimukteśa’s Liṅga (implying worship and remembrance).