Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

महाव्रतं महालिंगं महेंद्रादिह संस्थितम् । स्कंदेश्वर समीपे तु महाव्रतफलप्रदम्

Transliteration

mahāvrataṃ mahāliṃgaṃ maheṃdrādiha saṃsthitam | skaṃdeśvara samīpe tu mahāvrataphalapradam

Translation

മഹേന്ദ്രത്തിൽ നിന്നിവിടെ സ്ഥാപിതമായ ‘മഹാവ്രത’ എന്ന മഹാലിംഗം. സ്കന്ദേശ്വരന്റെ സമീപത്ത് ഇത് മഹാവ്രതഫലം പ്രസാദിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• महाव्रतम्: Mahāvrata (great vow/name)
• महाव्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः महत् व्रतम् (कर्मधारय)

• महालिङ्गम्: great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः महत् लिङ्गम् (कर्मधारय)

• महेंद्रात्: from Mahendra
• महेंद्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (आदि-समुच्चयस्य प्रथमपद)

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

• संस्थितम्: situated/established
• संस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (लिङ्गम् इति विशेषणम्)

• स्कंदेश्वर: of Skandeśvara
• स्कंदेश्वर: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (समīपे इति सह); समासः स्कन्दस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• समीपे: near
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• महाव्रतफलप्रदम्: granting the fruit of the Mahāvrata
• महाव्रतफलप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाव्रत + फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः महाव्रतस्य फलम्, तस्य प्रदम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; बहुपद)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāvrata (Mahāliṅga)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful liṅga shrine labeled Mahāvrata near a Skandeśvara temple: a devotee with matted hair or simple ascetic attire offers water after a long vow; Skanda’s spear (vel) motif appears on banners; the liṅga radiates steady strength.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāvrata Mahāliṅga
• Mahendra
• Skandeśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī contains liṅgas that confer the same merit as arduous vows, making dharma accessible through sacred presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahāvrata Mahāliṅga near Skandeśvara in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance/fruit of Mahāvrata is referenced; devotion at this liṅga is said to grant that vrata’s result.