Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

दिग्गजेनार्चितं लिंगं सुप्रतीकेन तत्पुरः । सुप्रतीकेश्वरं नाम्ना यशोबलविवर्धनम्

Transliteration

diggajenārcitaṃ liṃgaṃ supratīkena tatpuraḥ | supratīkeśvaraṃ nāmnā yaśobalavivardhanam

Translation

അതിന്റെ മുൻപിൽ സുപ്രതീക എന്ന ദിഗ്ഗജം ആരാധിച്ച ശിവലിംഗം ഉണ്ട്. അത് സുപ്രതീകേശ്വരൻ എന്നു പേരുള്ളതും യശസ്സും ബലവും വർധിപ്പിക്കുന്നതുമാണ്.

Word by Word

• दिग्गजेन: by the directional elephant (Diggaja)
• दिग्गजेन: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः दिग्-गजः (तत्पुरुषः)

• अर्चितम्: worshipped
• अर्चितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• सुप्रतीकेन: by Supratīka
• सुप्रतीकेन: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्रतीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• पुरः: in front (of it)
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in front/before’ (उपसर्गवत्/क्रियाविशेषण)

• सुप्रतीकेश्वरम्: (called) Supratīkeśvara
• सुप्रतीकेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्रतीक + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः सुप्रतीकस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यशोबलविवर्धनम्: increasing fame and strength
• यशोबलविवर्धनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस् + बल + विवर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः यशः-बलयोः विवर्धनम् (द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद + तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Supratīkeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liṅga before Purūraveśvara, with the majestic directional elephant Supratīka depicted in reverent posture, offering lotus and water; the devotee receives a radiant aura symbolizing fame and vigor.

Characters & Entities

• Supratīka (diggaja)
• Supratīkeśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine guardians themselves honor Kāśī’s liṅgas, teaching that worship here elevates both worldly virtues (fame, strength) and spiritual standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The liṅga named Supratīkeśvara in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, worship/darśana of the Supratīkeśvara liṅga (noted as already worshipped by Supratīka).