Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

तद्दक्षिणे महालिंगं मुने भीष्मेश संज्ञितम् । कलिः कालश्च कामश्च बाधंते न तदीक्षणात्

Transliteration

taddakṣiṇe mahāliṃgaṃ mune bhīṣmeśa saṃjñitam | kaliḥ kālaśca kāmaśca bādhaṃte na tadīkṣaṇāt

Translation

അതിന്റെ തെക്കുവശത്ത്, ഹേ മുനേ, ‘ഭീഷ്മേശ’ എന്ന മഹാലിംഗം ഉണ്ട്. അതിന്റെ ദർശനമാത്രത്തിൽ കലി, കാലം, കാമം എന്നിവ പീഡിപ്പിക്കുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (अधिकारार्थ: 'of that')

• दक्षिणे: on the south (side)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् लिङ्गम्)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• भीष्मेश: Bhīṣmeśa (Lord of Bhīṣma / named Bhīṣmeśa)
• भीष्मेश: Samjna (Name/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (contextually नामरूप), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भीष्मस्य ईशः)

• संज्ञितम्: called; designated
• संज्ञितम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (महालिङ्गम् इति)

• कलिः: Kali (the age/personification)
• कलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कामः: Desire (Kāma)
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• बाधन्ते: afflict; trouble
• बाधन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• तत्: of that (liṅga)
• तत्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईक्षणात्: from seeing; by the sight
• ईक्षणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhīṣmeśa Mahāliṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (sage) addressed in the verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A towering ‘mahāliṅga’ shrine labeled Bhīṣmeśa; three shadowy forces—Kali (dark age figure), Kāla (time/death with noose), Kāma (archer of desire)—recede or dissolve as a pilgrim beholds the liṅga; the scene conveys protection and inner victory.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣmeśa-liṅga
• Kali
• Kāla
• Kāma
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s presence in Kāśī is praised as a shield: darśana weakens the forces of discord, mortality-anxiety, and craving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Bhīṣmeśa mahāliṅga located south of the previously mentioned liṅga in the Triviṣṭapa region of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (beholding) of Bhīṣmeśa-liṅga for protection from Kali, Kāla, and Kāma.