Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पितामहेश्वरं लिंगं ज्येष्ठवापीतटे शुभम् । तत्र श्राद्धं नरः कृत्वा पितॄणां मुदमर्पयेत्

Transliteration

pitāmaheśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ jyeṣṭhavāpītaṭe śubham | tatra śrāddhaṃ naraḥ kṛtvā pitṝṇāṃ mudamarpayet

Translation

ജ്യേഷ്ഠവാപിയുടെ പുണ്യതീരത്ത് ‘പിതാമഹേശ്വര’ ലിംഗം നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. അവിടെ ശ്രാദ്ധം ചെയ്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ പിതൃകൾക്ക് ആനന്ദവും തൃപ്തിയും അർപ്പിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पितामहेश्वरम्: Pitāmaheśvara (Lord of Pitāmaha)
• पितामहेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘पितामहेश्वरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• ज्येष्ठवापीतटे: on the bank of the Jyeṣṭha-tank
• ज्येष्ठवापीतटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘लिङ्गम्’)

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

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• मुदम्: joy
• मुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अर्पयेत्: should offer/bestow
• अर्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्पय् (धातु; णिजन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/Potential), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pitāmaheśvara (on Jyeṣṭha-vāpī bank)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vātāpitāpana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the pond-bank, a devotee performs śrāddha with darbha grass and water offerings near the Pitāmaheśvara liṅga; ancestors are envisioned as subtle, satisfied presences.

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaheśvara
• Jyeṣṭhavāpī
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes gratitude to forebears; Kāśī provides sanctified locations where śrāddha becomes especially fruitful for pitṛs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pitāmaheśvara liṅga on the bank of Jyeṣṭhavāpī in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha at Pitāmaheśvara near Jyeṣṭhavāpī to gladden the ancestors.