Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

अपराधशतेष्वीशः केन तुष्यति कर्मणा । संप्रधार्येति ते चक्रुर्लिंगाराधनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

aparādhaśateṣvīśaḥ kena tuṣyati karmaṇā | saṃpradhāryeti te cakrurliṃgārādhanamuttamam

Translation

‘நூறு நூறு குற்றங்களுக்குப் பின் இறைவன் எந்தச் செயலில் மகிழ்வான்?’ என்று சிந்தித்து அவர்கள் உத்தமமான லிங்காராதனையை மேற்கொண்டனர்.

Word by Word

• अपराध-शतेषु: in (the case of) hundreds of offences
• अपराध-शतेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अपराधानां शतेषु = in hundreds of offences)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• केन: by what
• केन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• तुष्यति: is pleased
• तुष्यति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: तुष् (to be pleased)

• कर्मणा: by (which) act/deed
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• संप्रधार्य: having deliberated
• संप्रधार्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), धातु: धृ (to hold/consider) उपसर्ग: सम्, प्र; अर्थ: well-considering

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• चक्रुः: did/performed
• चक्रुः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; धातु: कृ (to do)

• लिङ्ग-आराधनम्: worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-आराधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आराधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य आराधनम् = worship of the liṅga)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of beings, heads bowed in contrition, debating how to please Śiva after many offenses; they turn toward a radiant liṅga shrine in Kāśī, preparing offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Īśa
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after grave mistakes, sincere devotion—especially Śiva-liṅga worship—can restore divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to Kāśī’s praise-context, where Śiva-worship is presented as especially fruitful.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅgārādhana—formal worship of the Śiva-liṅga—is recommended as the best means.