Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

कृत्तिवासेश्वरं लिंगं काश्यां यैर्न विलोकितम् । ते मर्त्यलोके भाराय भुवो भूता न संशयः

Transliteration

kṛttivāseśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ kāśyāṃ yairna vilokitam | te martyaloke bhārāya bhuvo bhūtā na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

凡未在迦尸（Kāśī）瞻礼克利提婆舍湿伐罗（Kṛttivāseśvara）之林伽者，于人世不过为大地之重负；此无疑也。

Word by Word

• कृत्ति-वास-ईश्वरम्: (the) Lord of the skin-garment (Kṛttivāseśvara)
• कृत्ति-वास-ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (liṅgaṃ qualifies)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• यैः: by whom / by those who
• यैः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध/कर्तृ-निर्देश (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• विलोकितम्: seen
• विलोकितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (seen)

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

• मर्त्य-लोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्य-लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• भाराय: for a burden
• भाराय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (for the purpose of)

• भुवः: of the earth
• भुवः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• भूताः: have become
• भूताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; भावे/कर्तरि (having become)

• न: no
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय; here with saṃśayaḥ = 'no'

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṛttivāseśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark contrast tableau: the luminous Kṛttivāseśvara liṅga with devotees in reverent queue, while a shadowed figure turns away, depicted as heavy and earth-bound—earth goddess Bhūmi bearing the weight.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛttivāseśvara
• Kāśī
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human life is meant for dharma and God-realization; neglecting Kāśī’s Śiva-darśana is condemned as wasting one’s human opportunity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kṛttivāseśvara Liṅga in Kāśī (Varanasi).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is darśana—reverent viewing/visiting of the Kṛttivāseśvara Liṅga in Kāśī.