Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

शिवभक्तान्समालोक्य किंचिच्च परिदित्सुकान् । गर्हयेद्वैष्णवान्सर्वाञ्शैवलिंगोपजीवकः

Transliteration

śivabhaktānsamālokya kiṃcicca pariditsukān | garhayedvaiṣṇavānsarvāñśaivaliṃgopajīvakaḥ

Translation

ਸ਼ਿਵ-ਭਕਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ, ਜੋ ਥੋੜ੍ਹੀ ਜਿਹੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਵੀ ਲੱਭ ਰਹੇ ਸਨ, ਉਹ—ਸ਼ਿਵ ਦੇ ਲਿੰਗ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਗੁਜ਼ਾਰਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਵੀ—ਸਾਰੇ ਵੈਸ਼ਣਵਾਂ ਦੀ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰਦਾ।

Word by Word

• śiva-bhaktān: devotees of Śiva
• śiva-bhaktān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘śivasya bhaktāḥ’), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• samālokya: having observed
• samālokya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+ā+lok (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund), ‘having looked at/observed’

• kiṃcit: somewhat, a little
• kiṃcit: Viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (indeclinable: somewhat/a little)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• pariditsukān: desirous of seeing/inspecting
• pariditsukān: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari+didṛkṣu (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative adjective from √dṛś)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (śivabhaktān इति विशेष्यस्य)

• garhayed: should censure
• garhayed: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: garh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• vaiṣṇavān: Vaiṣṇavas
• vaiṣṇavān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (vaiṣṇavān इति विशेष्यस्य)

• śaiva-liṅga-upajīvakaḥ: one who makes a living by (displaying) Śaiva emblems
• śaiva-liṅga-upajīvakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + upajīvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘śaiva-liṅgena upajīvati’), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Devadeva (Śiva) continuing the narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple-servant near a Śiva-liṅga accepts offerings, yet turns outward to scold Vaiṣṇava pilgrims; nearby, humble Śiva-bhaktas ask for small aid; the liṅga stands central as witness to the contradiction.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-bhaktas
• Vaiṣṇavas
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

One must not weaponize sectarian identity; living by sacred service demands humility and respect toward all devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse belongs to a Kāśī-based moral account tied to sacred institutions like liṅga-service.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it critiques unethical behavior surrounding religious livelihood and condemns devotee-censure (garhā/nindā).