Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

उद्दालकेश्वराल्लिंगात्तीर्थं उद्दालकाभिधे । याम्यां च यमदंष्ट्राख्या चर्वयेद्विघ्नसंहतिम्

Transliteration

uddālakeśvarālliṃgāttīrthaṃ uddālakābhidhe | yāmyāṃ ca yamadaṃṣṭrākhyā carvayedvighnasaṃhatim

Translation

ഉദ്ദാലകേശ്വര ലിംഗത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ‘ഉദ്ദാലക’ എന്ന നാമത്തിലുള്ള തീർത്ഥം ഉണ്ട്; ദക്ഷിണദിക്കിൽ ‘യമദംഷ്ട്രാ’ എന്ന ദേവി സമാഹൃത വിഘ്നസമൂഹത്തെ ചവച്ചുനശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• उद्दालकेश्वरात्: from Uddālakeśvara
• उद्दालकेश्वरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्दालक-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उद्दालकस्य ईश्वरः)

• लिंगात्: from the liṅga
• लिंगात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage-spot
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (वाक्ये विषयः)

• उद्दालकाभिधे: named ‘Uddālaka’
• उद्दालकाभिधे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्दालक-अभिध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उद्दालक इति अभिधा यस्य)

• याम्याम्: in the southern direction
• याम्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिशावाचक-विशेषणम् (दक्षिणदिशि)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः (conjunction)

• यमदंष्ट्राख्या: (a goddess) named Yamadaṃṣṭrā
• यमदंष्ट्राख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-दंष्ट्रा-आख्या (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य दंष्ट्रा; तया आख्या/नाम)

• चर्वयेत्: should chew up/destroy
• चर्वयेत्: Kriya (Injunctive action/विधेय-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्व् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; विध्यर्थः

• विघ्नसंहतिम्: the collection of obstacles
• विघ्नसंहतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न-संहति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विघ्नानाम् संहतिḥ)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Uddālaka tīrtha

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small tīrtha pool labeled ‘Uddālaka’ near the Uddālakeśvara Liṅga; in the southern direction stands Devī Yamadaṃṣṭrā with fang-like motifs, chewing a heap of thorny obstacles; pilgrims approach with lamps and water-vessels.

Characters & Entities

• Uddālakeśvara Liṅga
• Uddālaka Tīrtha
• Yamadaṃṣṭrā
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sacred landscape unites liṅgas, tīrthas, and guardian Śaktis—each aiding the pilgrim by dissolving obstacles on the path of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Uddālaka Tīrtha associated with the Uddālakeśvara Liṅga in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse identifies the tīrtha and the protective Devī who destroys obstacles.