Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

संगमेशं महालिंगं प्रतिष्ठाप्यादिकेशवः । दर्शनादघहं नृणां भुक्तिं मुक्तिं दिशेत्सदा

Transliteration

saṃgameśaṃ mahāliṃgaṃ pratiṣṭhāpyādikeśavaḥ | darśanādaghahaṃ nṛṇāṃ bhuktiṃ muktiṃ diśetsadā

Translation

സംഗമേശം എന്ന മഹാലിംഗം പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ച ആദികേശവൻ, അതിന്റെ ദർശനമാത്രത്താൽ തന്നെ മനുഷ്യരുടെ പാപം നശിപ്പിച്ച് ഭോഗവും മോക്ഷവും സദാ പ്രസാദിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• संगमेशम्: Sangameśa (Lord of the confluence)
• संगमेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संगमस्य ईशः)

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

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); धातुः √स्था (1P) उपसर्गः प्रति; अर्थः ‘स्थापयित्वा’

• आदिकेशवः: Ādikeśava
• आदिकेशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि-केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (आदिः केशवः)

• दर्शनात्: from (its) दर्शन/seeing
• दर्शनात्: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• अघहम्: sin-destroying (one)
• अघहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघ-ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अघस्य हः = पापनाशकः)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• भुक्तिम्: enjoyment (worldly fruition)
• भुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिशेत्: may grant/bestow
• दिशेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; धातुः √दिश् (6P)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) speaking to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Saṅgameśa (Mahāliṅga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada (implied by the surrounding verses addressing Nārada)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ādikeśava consecrates the towering Saṅgameśa liṅga; pilgrims approach with folded hands; the Ganga’s presence is implied by ritual vessels and flowing water motifs; the atmosphere suggests immediate grace—sin dissolving into light.

Characters & Entities

• Ādikeśava
• Saṅgameśa (Mahāliṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, sacred presence and darśana themselves are portrayed as powerful means for pāpa-kṣaya, culminating in both prosperity and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Saṅgameśa Mahāliṅga associated with Ādikeśava’s sacred act of establishment in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (reverent viewing) of the installed Mahāliṅga is stated as the efficacious act yielding merit.