Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

जाबालीश्वर संज्ञं च लिंगं तत्रातिसिद्धिदम् । तस्य संदर्शनाज्जातु न जंतुर्दुर्गतिं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

jābālīśvara saṃjñaṃ ca liṃgaṃ tatrātisiddhidam | tasya saṃdarśanājjātu na jaṃturdurgatiṃ vrajet

Translation

അവിടെ ജാബാലീശ്വരമെന്ന ലിംഗവും ഉണ്ട്, അതി സിദ്ധിദായകം; അതിന്റെ സന്ദർശനത്താൽ യാതൊരു ജീവിയും ഒരിക്കലും ദുര്‍ഗതിയിലേക്കു പോകുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• जाबालीश्वरसंज्ञम्: named Jābālīśvara
• जाबालीश्वरसंज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाबालीश्वर-संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); ‘जाबालीश्वर’ इति संज्ञा यस्य

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta/Karma (Contextual/कर्ता/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अतिसिद्धिदम्: granting very great accomplishment
• अतिसिद्धिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-सिद्धि-द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); ‘अतिशयेन सिद्धिं ददाति’

• तस्य: of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• संदर्शनात्: from beholding
• संदर्शनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जातु: ever
• जातु: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (ever)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• जन्तुः: a creature/person
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुर्गतिम्: bad state/misfortune
• दुर्गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्-गति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रजेत्: would go/meet with
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (contextual continuation in Adhyāya 15)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jābālīśvara

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Kumbhaja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried pilgrim approaches Jābālīśvara; upon darśana, shadowy imagery of ‘durgati’ recedes behind, replaced by a clear path and temple light—symbolizing karmic protection.

Characters & Entities

• Jābālīśvara
• Śiva-liṅga
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s liṅga-darśana is portrayed as protective and salvific, preventing downfall and evil destinies.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jābālīśvara liṅga in the Jyeṣṭheśvara surrounding sacred zone of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃdarśana (pilgrimage sight/visit) of Jābālīśvara is the stated practice yielding protection from durgati.