Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

आविर्बभूव पुरतो लिंगरूपेण शंकरः । प्रोवाच च प्रसन्नोस्मि वरं ब्रूहि नृपांगज

Transliteration

āvirbabhūva purato liṃgarūpeṇa śaṃkaraḥ | provāca ca prasannosmi varaṃ brūhi nṛpāṃgaja

Translation

ശങ്കരൻ ലിംഗരൂപത്തിൽ അവന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ പ്രത്യക്ഷനായി പറഞ്ഞു—“ഞാൻ പ്രസന്നനാണ്; ഹേ രാജപുത്രാ, ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന വരം പറയുക.”

Word by Word

• आविः: manifest, openly
• आविः: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आविः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: manifestly)

• बभूव: appeared
• बभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular (appeared/became)

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place: in front)

• लिङ्ग-रूपेण: in the form of a liṅga
• लिङ्ग-रूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (in the form of a liṅga)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• प्रोवाच: said
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular (said)

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

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; predicate with अस्मि

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; 1st person singular (I am)

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (a boon)

• ब्रूहि: speak, ask (for it)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; 2nd person singular (tell/choose)

• नृप-अङ्गज: O prince
• नृप-अङ्गज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular (O king’s son)

Speaker

Narrator (contextually Skanda), quoting Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (liṅga-sthāna within Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva suddenly appears before the prince as a radiant liṅga; the air vibrates with sacred presence as Śiva speaks granting a boon.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śaṅkara)
• Liṅga
• Prince (nṛpāṅgaja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When devotion ripens, Śiva grants direct darśana and invites the devotee to ask for a boon.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the sacred field where Śiva’s liṅga-presence and swift grace are celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights darśana of the liṅga; no detailed ritual steps are specified.