Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

प्रयागेशं महालिंगं तत्र तिष्ठति कामदम् । तत्सान्निध्याच्च तत्तीर्थं कामदं परिकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

prayāgeśaṃ mahāliṃgaṃ tatra tiṣṭhati kāmadam | tatsānnidhyācca tattīrthaṃ kāmadaṃ parikīrtitam

Translation

അവിടെ പ്രയാഗേശനെന്ന മഹാലിംഗം നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; അത് ഇഷ്ടവരദായകം. അതിന്റെ പുണ്യസാന്നിധ്യബലത്താൽ ആ തീർത്ഥവും ‘കാമദ’ (ഇച്ഛാപൂരക) എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്.

Word by Word

• प्रयागेशम्: the Lord of Prayāga
• प्रयागेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रयागस्य ईशः)

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् लिङ्गम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तिष्ठति: stands/abides
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कामदम्: wish-granting
• कामदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रयागेशं/महालिङ्गं प्रति)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सान्निध्यात्: from (its) proximity
• सान्निध्यात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थं प्रति)

• तीर्थम्: the pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन

• कामदम्: wish-granting
• कामदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थं प्रति)

• परिकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed/celebrated
• परिकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषणम् (तीर्थं प्रति)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāmada-tīrtha (by Prayāgeśa-sannidhya)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/seekers within the Kāśī discourse frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the confluence-ghats of Prayāga, a towering dark stone liṅga labeled Prayāgeśa stands under a canopy; pilgrims offer bilva, water, and lamps; the nearby ford is hailed as Kāmada.

Characters & Entities

• Prayāga
• Prayāgeśa
• Liṅga
• Kāmada Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence sanctifies a place: proximity to Śiva as Prayāgeśa makes the tīrtha itself ‘wish-fulfilling’ and spiritually potent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāmada Tīrtha at Prayāga, sanctified by the Prayāgeśa Mahāliṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse establishes the tīrtha’s name and power due to the Liṅga’s presence.