Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

महाकालाभिधं लिंगं दर्शनान्मोक्षदं परम् । अयोगंधेश्वरं लिंगं पुष्करात्तीर्थसत्तमात्

Transliteration

mahākālābhidhaṃ liṃgaṃ darśanānmokṣadaṃ param | ayogaṃdheśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ puṣkarāttīrthasattamāt

Translation

‘മഹാകാല’ എന്ന ലിംഗത്തിന്റെ ദർശനം മാത്രത്താൽ പരമ മോക്ഷം ലഭിക്കുന്നു. തീർത്ഥശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ പുഷ്കരത്തിൽ നിന്നു ‘അയോഗന്ധേശ്വര’ ലിംഗവും ഇവിടെ എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• महाकाल-अभिधम्: named ‘Mahākāla’
• महाकाल-अभिधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महाकाल इति अभिधा यस्य)

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

• दर्शनात्: from seeing (it)
• दर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मोक्षदम्: granting liberation
• मोक्षदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षं ददाति इति)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अयोगंध-ईश्वरम्: the Lord of Ayogaṃdha
• अयोगंध-ईश्वरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयोगंध (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अयोगंधस्य ईश्वरः)

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

• पुष्करात्: from Puṣkara
• पुष्करात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तीर्थ-सत्तमात्: from the best of pilgrimage-places
• तीर्थ-सत्तमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थेषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-liṅga; Ayogaṃdheśvara-liṅga (from Puṣkara)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two shrines in Kāśī: Mahākāla-liṅga radiating liberation; Ayogaṃdheśvara-liṅga accompanied by symbols of Puṣkara (lotus lake, Brahmā imagery, desert hues) indicating its origin.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla Liṅga
• Ayogaṃdheśvara
• Puṣkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of certain Śiva-liṅgas in Kāśī is taught as a direct means toward mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākāla Liṅga in Kāśī is praised as mokṣa-giving; Puṣkara is referenced as the source-tīrtha of Ayogaṃdheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (devotional visitation/seeing) of Mahākāla Liṅga is the stated observance.