Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततोपि विहितं ब्रह्मन्भवता परमं हितम् । अपराधसहस्राणि यल्लिंगं स्थापितं मम

Transliteration

tatopi vihitaṃ brahmanbhavatā paramaṃ hitam | aparādhasahasrāṇi yalliṃgaṃ sthāpitaṃ mama

Translation

എങ്കിലും, ഹേ ബ്രഹ്മൻ, അതിലും മേലായി നീ പരമഹിതം ചെയ്തു—ആയിരം അപരാധങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടായിട്ടും നീ എന്റെ ലിംഗം സ്ഥാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kala (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (thereafter)

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

• विहितम्: ordained/done
• विहितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातु: धा (to place/ordain) उपसर्ग: वि-

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (O Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘by you’)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हितम्: benefit/good
• हितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक; from धा with नि/हि? lexical ‘benefit’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘हित’ = कल्याण/benefit

• अपराधसहस्राणि: thousands of offenses
• अपराधसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; components: अपराध + सहस्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अपराधानां सहस्राणि)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्थापितम्: was established
• स्थापितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातु: स्था (to stand) with causative sense ‘to establish’ (स्थापयति)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Devadeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dhātṛ (Brahmā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva proclaims that Brahmā’s greatest benefit was establishing Śiva’s liṅga despite many offenses; the liṅga appears radiant, newly consecrated, with offerings and sacred firelight.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liṅga-sthāpana (establishing Śiva’s presence) is exalted as supremely beneficial, surpassing even vast ritual merit and countering accumulated offenses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī-khaṇḍa, the act aligns with Kāśī’s identity as a foremost Śaiva sacred geography where liṅgas are especially meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-liṅga sthāpana (installation/establishment of a liṅga) is praised as a highly meritorious act.