Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

सोमनंदीश्वरं दृष्ट्वा लिंगं नंदवने परम् । सोमलोके परानंदं प्राप्नुयाद्भक्तिमान्नरः

Transliteration

somanaṃdīśvaraṃ dṛṣṭvā liṃgaṃ naṃdavane param | somaloke parānaṃdaṃ prāpnuyādbhaktimānnaraḥ

Translation

瞻礼南陀林中至上的苏摩难提自在天之林伽，虔信之人得至苏摩天界，证得无上安乐。

Word by Word

• somanandī-īśvaram: Somanandīśvara (name of the Lord)
• somanandī-īśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: somanandī (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘सोमनन्द्याः ईश्वरः’ (नाम)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• liṅgam: the liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nandavane: in Nandavana
• nandavane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• param: supreme
• param: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• somaloke: in Soma’s world
• somaloke: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: somaloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘सोमस्य लोकः’

• parānandam: supreme bliss
• parānandam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय) ‘परः आनन्दः’

• prāpnuyāt: may attain
• prāpnuyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• bhaktimān: devout; possessing devotion
• bhaktimān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaktimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• naraḥ: a man; person
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration-context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somanandīśvara (in Nandavana)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands in a leafy grove (Nandavana) before the liṅga Somanandīśvara, offering bilva and water; moon symbolism (Soma) appears in the sky, hinting at Soma-loka bliss.

Characters & Entities

• Somanandīśvara
• Nandavana
• Kāśī
• Soma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of Śiva in Kāśī, performed with bhakti, yields exalted posthumous beatitude and spiritual joy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nandavana in Kāśī, specifically the Somanandīśvara liṅga, is praised with a stated spiritual fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-darśana (reverent viewing/visitation) of Somanandīśvara in Nandavana, undertaken with devotion.