Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठेश समीपस्थः कृष्णेशो विष्णुलोकदः । तद्याम्यां याज्ञवल्क्येशो ब्रह्मतेजोविवधर्नः

Transliteration

vasiṣṭheśa samīpasthaḥ kṛṣṇeśo viṣṇulokadaḥ | tadyāmyāṃ yājñavalkyeśo brahmatejovivadharnaḥ

Translation

వసిష్ఠేశుని సమీపంలో ‘కృష్ణేశ’ లింగం ఉంది; అది విష్ణులోకాన్ని ప్రసాదిస్తుంది। దాని దక్షిణంలో ‘యాజ్ఞవల్క్యేశ’ లింగం బ్రహ్మతేజస్సును (ఆధ్యాత్మిక కాంతిని) వృద్ధి చేస్తుంది।

Word by Word

• vasiṣṭheśa: O Vasiṣṭheśa
• vasiṣṭheśa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular (address)

• samīpasthaḥ: situated nearby
• samīpasthaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samīpa + stha (कृदन्त; √sthā स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘standing near’ (past participial/adjectival)

• kṛṣṇeśaḥ: Kṛṣṇeśa (name of the lord/liṅga)
• kṛṣṇeśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• viṣṇu-lokadaḥ: giver of Viṣṇu’s world
• viṣṇu-lokadaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu + lokada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; विशेषणम् (kṛṣṇeśaḥ)

• tat-yāmyām: in that southern direction
• tat-yāmyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat + yāmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; दिशावाचक-शब्दः (‘southern’)

• yājñavalkyeśaḥ: Yājñavalkyeśa (name)
• yājñavalkyeśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājñavalkya + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• brahma-tejaḥ: Brahman’s splendor
• brahma-tejaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular (as first member in compound/phrase)

• vivardhanaḥ: increaser / enhancer
• vivardhanaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivardhana (प्रातिपदिक; from √vṛdh वृध् with vi-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; विशेषणम् (yājñavalkyeśaḥ)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṛṣṇeśa-liṅga; Yājñavalkyeśa-liṅga (near Vasiṣṭheśa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two adjacent shrines in a Kāśī lane: Kṛṣṇeśa near Vasiṣṭheśa with Vaikuṇṭha symbolism (conch-disc motifs), and Yājñavalkyeśa to the south with a radiant aura like Vedic fire/tejas; pilgrims move in orderly parikrama.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Vasiṣṭheśa
• Kṛṣṇeśa
• Yājñavalkyeśa
• Viṣṇuloka
• Brahmatejas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī integrates multiple spiritual ideals—liṅga worship is said to grant exalted realms and intensify inner brahmic radiance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The cluster around Vasiṣṭheśa: Kṛṣṇeśa nearby and Yājñavalkyeśa to the south.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied worship/visit (darśana-pūjā) of these liṅgas for attaining Viṣṇuloka and increasing brahmatejas.