Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

प्रह्लादेश्वरमभ्यर्च्य तत्पश्चाद्भक्तिवर्धनम् । स्वयंलीनः शिवो यत्र भक्तानुग्रहकाम्यया

Transliteration

prahlādeśvaramabhyarcya tatpaścādbhaktivardhanam | svayaṃlīnaḥ śivo yatra bhaktānugrahakāmyayā

Translation

പ്രഹ്ലാദേശ്വരനെ ആരാധിച്ച ശേഷം ‘ഭക്തിവർധന’നെ പൂജിക്കണം. അവിടെ ഭക്തന്മാർക്ക് അനുഗ്രഹം നൽകുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് ശിവൻ സ്വയം ‘സ്വലീന’ നിലയിൽ വിരാജിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• prahlādeśvaram: Prahlādeśvara (liṅga/lord)
• prahlādeśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahlāda + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi-√arc (अर्च्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having worshipped’

• tat-paścāt: thereafter
• tat-paścāt: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tat + paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• bhakti-vardhanam: (the liṅga called) ‘Bhakti-vardhana’ / increaser of devotion
• bhakti-vardhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक; from √vṛdh वृध्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; (गन्तव्य/प्राप्तव्य-स्थान/वस्तु)

• svayam-līnaḥ: self-merged
• svayam-līnaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svayam (अव्यय) + līna (कृदन्त; √lī लि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘merged by himself’

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/स्थानवाचक-अव्ययम् (relative adverb: where)

• bhakta-anugraha-kāmyayā: by the desire to favor devotees
• bhakta-anugraha-kāmyayā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta + anugraha + kāmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular; हेत्वर्थे (by/for the sake of)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prahlādeśvara; Bhaktivardhana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim first offers worship at Prahlādeśvara, then proceeds to Bhaktivardhana where the sanctum feels unusually ‘alive’—a subtle form of Śiva’s self-merged presence, with devotees receiving palpable grace.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Prahlādeśvara
• Bhaktivardhana
• Śiva (Svalīna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s līlā in Kāśī is compassion-driven—he manifests in special forms to intensify devotion and favor sincere worshipers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prahlādeśvara and the adjoining/next shrine Bhaktivardhana in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sequence is suggested: first worship Prahlādeśvara, then proceed to Bhaktivardhana for the growth of devotion.