Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

नंदीश्वरात्प्रतीच्यां च शिलादेशः कुधीहरः । महाबलप्रदस्तत्र हिरण्याक्षेश्वरः शुभः

Transliteration

naṃdīśvarātpratīcyāṃ ca śilādeśaḥ kudhīharaḥ | mahābalapradastatra hiraṇyākṣeśvaraḥ śubhaḥ

Translation

നന്ദീശ്വരന്റെ പടിഞ്ഞാറായി കുബുദ്ധി അകറ്റുന്ന ശിലാദേശൻ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. അവിടെയേ ശുഭകരനായ ഹിരണ്യാക്ഷേശ്വരനും മഹാബലം നൽകുന്നവനായി വിരാജിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरात्: from Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-नाम (नन्देः ईश्वरः)

• प्रतीच्याम्: in the west
• प्रतीच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (locative: in the west)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• शिलादेशः: Śilādeśa (place of the rock)
• शिलादेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिलायाः देशः)

• कुधीहरः: remover of evil understanding
• कुधीहरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + धी (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (कुधियः हरः = remover of bad intellect)

• महाबलप्रदः: giver of great strength
• महाबलप्रदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महाबलं प्रददाति इति)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• हिरण्याक्षेश्वरः: Hiraṇyākṣeśvara
• हिरण्याक्षेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्याक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हिरण्याक्षस्य ईश्वरः)

• शुभः: auspicious
• शुभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śilādeśa; Hiraṇyākṣeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands before Nandīśvara, then turns west toward two small shrines: Śilādeśa (stone-marked, austere) and Hiraṇyākṣeśvara (auspicious, radiant), receiving a visual metaphor of ignorance lifting and strength arising.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Nandīśvara
• Śilādeśa
• Hiraṇyākṣeśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage in Kāśī is mapped as inner transformation—clarifying the intellect and gaining spiritual vigor through contact with Śiva’s liṅgas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The western side of Nandīśvara, highlighting Śilādeśa and Hiraṇyākṣeśvara as meritorious Kāśī liṅgas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies visiting/worshiping these liṅgas for their fruits; no detailed procedure is stated.