Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 230

Devanagari script

अलर्केशः समभ्यर्च्यः शुक्रेशात्पूर्वदिक्स्थितः । मदालसेश्वरस्तत्र तत्पूर्वे सर्वविघ्नहृत्

Transliteration

alarkeśaḥ samabhyarcyaḥ śukreśātpūrvadiksthitaḥ | madālaseśvarastatra tatpūrve sarvavighnahṛt

Translation

Si Alarkeśa ay nararapat sambahin nang wasto, na nasa silangan ng Śukreśa. Naroon din si Madālaseśvara; at sa silangan niya, inaalis niya ang lahat ng balakid.

Word by Word

• अलर्केशः: Alarkeśa (Lord Alarka)
• अलर्केशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समभ्यर्च्यः: to be duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्यः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अभि-√अर्च् (धातु) + य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/य), भावे/कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be worshipped)

• शुक्रेशात्: from Śukreśa
• शुक्रेशात्: Apadana (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• पूर्व-दिक्-स्थितः: situated in the eastern direction
• पूर्व-दिक्-स्थितः: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व + दिक् + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'अलर्केशः' इति विशेषण

• मदालस-ईश्वरः: Madālaseśvara
• मदालस-ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदालसा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• तत्-पूर्वे: to its east
• तत्-पूर्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'तत्र' इत्यर्थे स्थाननिर्देश (in the east of that/thereof)

• सर्व-विघ्न-हृत्: remover of all obstacles
• सर्व-विघ्न-हृत्: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + विघ्न + हृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'मदालसेश्वरः' इति विशेषण; हृत् = हरति इति (remover)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Alarkeśa; Madālaseśvara (east of Alarkeśa); Śukreśa as reference point

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim group moves eastward through narrow lanes between small Śiva shrines; each shrine has a liṅga with a simple canopy; at Madālaseśvara, a priest offers bilva and incense as devotees pray for obstacle-removal.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Alarkeśa
• Śukreśa
• Madālaseśvara
• Śiva-liṅgas
• Vighna (obstacles)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right worship (arcana) at Kāśī’s liṅgas is praised as a means to clear impediments and align one’s path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Alarkeśa and Madālaseśvara in relation to Śukreśa, mapped by eastern direction in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samabhyarcana—proper worship of Alarkeśa (and by context, visiting the adjacent liṅgas).