Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

सेव्योत्तरवहा नित्यं लिंगमर्च्यं प्रयत्नतः । दमो दानं दया नित्यं कर्तव्यं मुक्तिकांक्षिभिः

Transliteration

sevyottaravahā nityaṃ liṃgamarcyaṃ prayatnataḥ | damo dānaṃ dayā nityaṃ kartavyaṃ muktikāṃkṣibhiḥ

Translation

உத்தரவாஹாவை தினமும் சேவித்து, லிங்கத்தை முயற்சியுடன் அர்ச்சிக்க வேண்டும். தமம், தானம், தயை—மோட்சம் விரும்புவோர் எப்போதும் செய்யவேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• सेव्या: to be served
• सेव्या: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सेव् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘to be served’

• उत्तरवहा: the north-flowing (river, i.e., Gaṅgā)
• उत्तरवहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + वहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तरं वहति/वहती)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अर्च्यम्: to be worshipped
• अर्च्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort / diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• दमः: self-control
• दमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘to be done’

• मुक्तिकाङ्क्षिभिः: by those who desire liberation
• मुक्तिकाङ्क्षिभिः: Kartr-karana (Agent group / by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुक्तेः काङ्क्षी)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Uttaravāhā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ / mumukṣu-oriented audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Morning on Kāśī ghāṭs: devotees serve the Uttaravāhā waters—sweeping steps, offering lamps/flowers—then proceed to a shrine to worship a Śiva-liṅga; emphasis on disciplined, humble action and compassionate giving.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Uttaravāhā
• Liṅga
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is fulfilled through daily worship and ethical virtues—self-restraint, charity, and compassion—aimed at mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Uttaravāhā in Kāśī, along with liṅga-worship within the Kāśī sacred field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daily service to Uttaravāhā and diligent liṅgārcana, alongside practicing dama (self-control), dāna (charity), and dayā (compassion).