Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

पूजामात्रं विधायास्य लिंगराजस्य भक्तितः । सहस्रहेमकमलपूजाफलमवाप्यते

Transliteration

pūjāmātraṃ vidhāyāsya liṃgarājasya bhaktitaḥ | sahasrahemakamalapūjāphalamavāpyate

Translation

Sa paggawa kahit payak na pagsamba sa ‘Hari ng mga Liṅga’ na ito nang may debosyon, nakakamit ang bunga na parang pagsamba gamit ang sanlibong gintong lotus.

Word by Word

• pūjā-mātram: mere worship (only worship)
• pūjā-mātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मात्रा-विशिष्टा पूजा)

• vidhāya: having performed
• vidhāya: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा, धारण-स्थापनयोः) उपसर्गः वि-; क्त्वान्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having performed/done’

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• liṅga-rājasya: of the Lord of the Liṅga
• liṅga-rājasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (लिङ्गस्य राजा)

• bhaktitaḥ: out of devotion
• bhaktitaḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/through devotion’

• sahasra-hema-kamala-pūjā-phalam: the fruit of worship with a thousand golden lotuses
• sahasra-hema-kamala-pūjā-phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + hema (प्रातिपदिक) + kamala (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (सहस्र-हेम-कमल-पूजायाः फलम्)

• avāpyate: is obtained
• avāpyate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√āp (आप्, प्राप्तौ)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘is obtained’

Speaker

Śiva (Kāśīkhaṇḍa Liṅga glorification)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Liṅgarāja (Kāśī-liṅga)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Amarāḥ (devas/immortals)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Kāśī offers a simple flower and water to the majestic ‘Liṅgarāja’ in a sanctum glowing with lamps; the unseen merit is visualized as a shower of golden lotuses.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅgarāja (King of Liṅgas)
• Golden lotus offering (hema-kamala)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion (bhakti) is valued above material opulence; a modest pūjā can equal lavish offerings when done in true reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through the exaltation of a preeminent Liṅga revered as ‘Liṅgarāja’ within the chapter’s sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga pūjā—worship of the Liṅga—emphasizing devotional intention rather than costly materials.