Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तदा प्रभृति लिंगेस्मिन्स्थितः साधकसिद्धये । अविमुक्ते परे क्षेत्रे कलिकाले विशेषतः

Transliteration

tadā prabhṛti liṃgesminsthitaḥ sādhakasiddhaye | avimukte pare kṣetre kalikāle viśeṣataḥ

Translation

അന്നുമുതൽ ഭക്തസാധകരുടെ സിദ്ധിക്കായി ഞാൻ ഈ ലിംഗത്തിൽ തന്നേ വസിക്കുന്നു—പരമ അവിമുക്തക്ഷേത്രമായ കാശിയിൽ, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് കലിയുഗത്തിൽ।

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'then')

• प्रभृति: from (that time)
• प्रभृति: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थे/आरम्भवाचक (indeclinable meaning 'from, starting from')

• लिङ्गे: in the liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• स्थितः: remained/was stationed
• स्थितः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'स्थित' = 'having stayed/being stationed'

• साधकसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of the practitioner
• साधकसिद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): साधकस्य सिद्धिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• अविमुक्ते: in Avimukta (the never-abandoned place)
• अविमुक्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of क्षेत्रे)

• परे: supreme
• परे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (of क्षेत्रे)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/region
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कलिकाले: in the time of Kali (Kali-yuga)
• कलिकाले: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कलियुगस्य कालः; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: 'especially')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa default narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/ṛṣis in Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s subtle, protective presence abiding within a radiant liṅga in Avimukta; devotees approach with folded hands as the kṣetra glows with sanctity in Kali-yuga.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Avimukta (Kāśī)
• Kali Yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali Yuga, divine grace is made especially accessible through liṅga-worship in Avimukta (Kāśī), supporting the sādhaka’s attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra—Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the supreme sacred field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit liṅga-upāsanā (worship of the liṅga) for sādhaka-siddhi, highlighted as especially efficacious in Kali Yuga.