Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अतः स्वलीनं तत्पूर्वे लिंगं पूज्यं प्रयत्नतः । सदैव ज्ञाननिष्ठानां परमानंदमिच्छताम् । या गतिर्विहिता तेषां स्वलीने सा तनुत्यजाम्

Transliteration

ataḥ svalīnaṃ tatpūrve liṃgaṃ pūjyaṃ prayatnataḥ | sadaiva jñānaniṣṭhānāṃ paramānaṃdamicchatām | yā gatirvihitā teṣāṃ svalīne sā tanutyajām

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് അതിന്റെ കിഴക്കുവശത്ത് സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്ന ‘സ്വലീന’ ലിംഗത്തെ പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ പൂജിക്കണം. സദാ ജ്ഞാനനിഷ്ഠരായി പരമാനന്ദം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവർക്ക് വിധിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഗതി (മോക്ഷഫലം) ഏതായാലും, ദേഹത്യാഗസമയത്ത് സ്വലീനത്തിൽ അതേ ഗതി ലഭിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्ययम् (therefore/from that)

• sva-līnam: self-merged (named Svalīna)
• sva-līnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva + līna (कृदन्त; √lī लि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; विशेषणम् (liṅgam)

• tat-pūrve: in the earlier part/direction of that
• tat-pūrve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in the earlier (place/quarter) of that’

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• pūjyam: to be worshipped
• pūjyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (कृदन्त; √pūj पूज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• prayatnataḥ: with effort
• prayatnataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (adverb) — ‘with effort’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (always)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• jñāna-niṣṭhānām: of those steadfast in knowledge
• jñāna-niṣṭhānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna + niṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural; ‘of those established in knowledge’

• parama-ānandam: supreme bliss
• parama-ānandam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• icchatām: of those who desire
• icchatām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (इष्) / √iच्छ् (इच्छ्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘icchat’ — षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘of those desiring’

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• gatiḥ: state/goal/destination
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• vihitā: ordained
• vihitā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√dhā (धा) → vihita (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• teṣām: for them / of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural

• sva-līne: in (the liṅga) Svalīna
• sva-līne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + līna (कृदन्त; √lī लि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; (नामरूपेण) ‘in Svalīna (liṅga)’

• sā: that (same)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; निर्देशक-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• tanu-tyajām: of those who give up the body (at death)
• tanu-tyajām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu + tyaj (कृदन्त; √tyaj त्यज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural; ‘of those who abandon the body’ (agent-noun/participle used substantively)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svalīna-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Eastward shrine of Svalīna: a serene sanctum where a jñāna-niṣṭha pilgrim worships with quiet intensity; the scene subtly hints at the ‘last moment’—a peaceful passing with Śiva’s presence guiding the soul toward its destined gati.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Svalīna-liṅga
• Jñānaniṣṭhā
• Paramānanda
• Tanutyāga (death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is presented as a mokṣa-field: for knowledge-rooted seekers, worship at Svalīna supports the highest end at life’s final transition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Svalīna-liṅga, located to the east of the previously mentioned shrine-area, praised for its liberation-associated fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Earnest pūjā of the Svalīna-liṅga is recommended, especially for jñāna-niṣṭha aspirants seeking paramānanda and a blessed end.