Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्ममानंदवने यदेतल्लिंगं सुधाधाम सुधामधाम । आसप्त पातालतलात्स्वयंभु समुत्थितं भक्तकृपावशेन

Transliteration

asminmamānaṃdavane yadetalliṃgaṃ sudhādhāma sudhāmadhāma | āsapta pātālatalātsvayaṃbhu samutthitaṃ bhaktakṛpāvaśena

Translation

എന്റെ ഈ ആനന്ദവനത്തിൽ ഈ ലിംഗം അമൃതധാമം, അമരത്വത്തിന്റെ നിവാസം. ഭക്തന്മാരോടുള്ള കരുണാവശാൽ ഇത് സ്വയംഭുവായി ഏഴ് പാതാളതലങ്ങളുടെ ആഴത്തിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ സ്വയം ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आनन्दवने: in the forest of bliss (Ānandavana)
• आनन्दवने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आनन्दस्य वनम्)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative pronoun/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘लिङ्गम्’ इति विशेषण

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• सुधाधाम: abode of nectar
• सुधाधाम: Apposition (सम्बोधन/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुधायाः धाम)

• सुधामधाम: sweet abode of nectar
• सुधामधाम: Apposition (सम्बोधन/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा + मधामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुधायाः मधाम)

• आ: up to
• आ: Discourse/limit marker (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; ‘आ…तलात्’ इति मर्यादा (up to)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Numerical qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्द; ‘पातालतलात्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• पातालतलात्: from the floor of the netherworld
• पातालतलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पातालस्य तलम्)

• स्वयम्भु: self-born/self-manifest
• स्वयम्भु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयम् + भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (स्वयम् भूः)

• समुत्थितम्: arisen/emerged
• समुत्थितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘समुत्थितम् (अस्ति)’

• भक्तकृपावशेन: by the power of devotees’ compassion (i.e., due to devotees’ grace)
• भक्तकृपावशेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त + कृपा + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भक्तानां कृपायाः वशः)

Speaker

Śiva (contextual, within Kāśīkhaṇḍa glorification)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandavana Svayaṃbhū Liṅga (within Kāśī-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic interlocutor within Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame (traditionally Pārvatī/Skanda/ṛṣis depending on chapter frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the depths of the seven pātālas, a radiant Liṅga rises upward into Ānandavana, suffused with amṛta-like light; devotees witness the emergence with tears and folded hands; Śiva’s compassion is the driving force.

Characters & Entities

• Ānandavana
• Liṅga (Viśveśvara context)
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s presence in Kāśī is self-revealed and compassion-driven; the sacred form manifests for the uplift of devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandavana (Kāśī), centered on the self-manifest Liṅga associated with Viśveśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is commanded here; it establishes the Liṅga’s svayaṃbhu status, supporting worship (pūjā) and pilgrimage devotion.