Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

वृंदारकर्षिवृंदानां स्तुवतां प्रथमे युगे । उत्पन्नं यन्महालिंगं भूमिं भित्त्वा सुदुर्भिदाम्

Transliteration

vṛṃdārakarṣivṛṃdānāṃ stuvatāṃ prathame yuge | utpannaṃ yanmahāliṃgaṃ bhūmiṃ bhittvā sudurbhidām

Translation

പ്രഥമയുഗത്തിൽ ദേവഗണങ്ങളും ഋഷിവൃന്ദങ്ങളും സ്തുതിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ആ മഹാലിംഗം ഉദ്ഭവിച്ച്, ഭേദിക്കാൻ ദുഷ്കരമായ ഭൂമിയെ പിളർത്തി പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• वृंदारक-ऋषि-वृंदानाम्: of the groups of gods and sages
• वृंदारक-ऋषि-वृंदानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृंदारक + ऋषि + वृंद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; समासः वृंदारकाः च ऋषयः च (द्वन्द्व), तेषां वृंदानाम् (समूह)

• स्तुवताम्: of (those) praising
• स्तुवताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (वृंदानाम् इति विशेषणम्)

• प्रथमे: in the first
• प्रथमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (युगे इति विशेषणम्)

• युगे: in the age (yuga)
• युगे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्पन्नम्: arisen/produced
• उत्पन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्-√पद्/पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (महालिङ्गम् इति विशेषणम्)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• भूमिम्: the earth/ground
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/split
• भित्त्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having split'

• सुदुर्भिदाम्: very hard to split
• सुदुर्भिदाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुर्भिद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भूमिम् इति विशेषणम्); समासः सु-दुर्भिदा (अतिदुर्भेद्या)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Cosmic scene: in the first yuga, sages and devas in concentric circles chant hymns; the earth cracks open dramatically and a towering liṅga rises, dust and light mingling; the mood is awe-filled, with the liṅga as a pillar of radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Vṛṃdārakas (gods)
• Mahāliṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s liṅga is portrayed as a primordial manifestation responding to praise, breaking through worldly hardness to reveal grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the mahā-liṅga origin narrative within Kāśī’s liṅga-mahātmya context (linked to Mahāvrata Mahāliṅga in the surrounding verses).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stuti (hymnic praise) is implied as the devotional act associated with the liṅga’s manifestation.