Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तस्मिंल्लिंगे महाप्रीतिस्तव काश्यामनुत्तमा । तद्भक्ताश्च जना नित्यं देवदेवमहाधियः

Transliteration

tasmiṃlliṃge mahāprītistava kāśyāmanuttamā | tadbhaktāśca janā nityaṃ devadevamahādhiyaḥ

Translation

ต่อศิวลึงค์นั้น พระมหาปรีติของพระองค์ในกาศีหาที่เปรียบมิได้ และเหล่าภักตะของลึงค์นั้นย่อมเป็นผู้มีปัญญาสูง ส่งใจภักดีต่อเทวาธิเทพเป็นนิตย์

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गे इति)

• लिङ्गे: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाप्रीतिः: great delight/affection
• महाप्रीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती प्रीतिः)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुत्तमा: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रीतिः इति)

• तद्भक्ताः: his/your devotees
• तद्भक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य भक्ताः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverb)

• देवदेवमहाधियः: of great understanding (about the Lord of gods)
• देवदेवमहाधियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जनाः/भक्ताः इति); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवदेवस्य महाधियः = of great understanding regarding the Lord of gods)

Speaker

Pārvatī (context continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī liṅga associated with Kedāreśvara (as referenced)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī liṅga shrine where Śiva’s special ‘prīti’ is symbolized as a radiant aura around the liṅga; devotees with serene, intelligent faces stand in orderly worship, suggesting ‘mahādhī’ and constant devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Liṅga
• Śiva (Devadeva)
• Kedāreśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to Śiva’s sacred emblem (liṅga) in Kāśī is exalted, and devotion cultivates elevated discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the setting, with special emphasis on the Kedāreśvara-related liṅga tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse praises devotion to the liṅga and the quality of devotees.