Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

कंदुकेश्वरसंज्ञं च तल्लिंगमभवत्तदा । ज्येष्ठेश्वर समीपे तु सर्वदुष्टनिवारणम्

Transliteration

kaṃdukeśvarasaṃjñaṃ ca talliṃgamabhavattadā | jyeṣṭheśvara samīpe tu sarvaduṣṭanivāraṇam

Translation

അന്ന് ആ ലിംഗം ‘കന്ദുകേശ്വര’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധമായി; ജ്യേഷ്ഠേശ്വരന്റെ സമീപത്ത് സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്ന അത് സർവ്വദുഷ്ടനിവാരണമായി ഖ്യാതമാണ്।

Word by Word

• कंदुकेश्वरसंज्ञम्: named ‘Kandukeśvara’
• कंदुकेश्वरसंज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कंदुकेश्वर-संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) = कंदुकेश्वर + संज्ञ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of ‘liṅgam’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• ज्येष्ठेश्वर: Jyeṣṭheśvara (place/deity)
• ज्येष्ठेश्वर: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे नाम (proper noun); अत्र सप्तमी-समर्थे ‘समीपे’ इत्यनेन सम्बन्धः (in proximity construction)

• समीपे: near; in the vicinity
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• तु: indeed; and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: but/indeed)

• सर्वदुष्टनिवारणम्: remover of all evil-doers
• सर्वदुष्टनिवारणम्: Karta (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-दुष्ट-निवारण (प्रातिपदिक) = सर्व + दुष्ट + निवारण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextually Skanda in Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kandukeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm shrine scene: the newly named Kandukeśvara-liṅga stands near the venerable Jyeṣṭheśvara precinct; subtle protective aura repels shadowy ‘evil’ forms at the margins.

Characters & Entities

• Kandukeśvara
• Jyeṣṭheśvara
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred name and location become vehicles of grace; proximity to a revered shrine amplifies the protective power of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kandukeśvara-liṅga, specifically stated to be near Jyeṣṭheśvara in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly encourages liṅga-darśana and reverence; explicit ritual details appear in subsequent verses.