Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वाराणस्यामसावास्ते संवर्तो गुप्तलिंगभृत् । मलदिग्धो विवसनो भिक्षाशी कुतपादनु

Transliteration

vārāṇasyāmasāvāste saṃvarto guptaliṃgabhṛt | maladigdho vivasano bhikṣāśī kutapādanu

Translation

“三跋多（Saṃvarta）住在婆罗奈（Vārāṇasī），暗中佩持林伽。身涂污垢，裸形无衣，以乞食为生，行走时仅以破布遮体。”

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• असौ: that (man), he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आस्ते: dwells, stays
• आस्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• संवर्तः: Saṃvarta (name)
• संवर्तः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• गुप्तलिङ्गभृत्: bearing a concealed emblem/mark
• गुप्तलिङ्गभृत्: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुप्त + लिङ्ग + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (लिङ्गं गुप्तं यस्य/येन)

• मलदिग्धः: smeared with dirt
• मलदिग्धः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल + दिग्ध (प्रातिपदिक; दिह्-धातुज कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (मलेन दिग्धः)

• विवसनः: naked, unclothed
• विवसनः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भिक्षाशी: living on alms
• भिक्षाशी: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिक्षा + अशिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अश्-धातुज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (भिक्षां अश्नाति)

• कुतपात्: from a coarse blanket/cloth (kutapa)
• कुतपात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुतप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• अनु: following, in accordance with
• अनु: Modifier (Upasarga/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; अर्थः—अनुगमन/अनुसार

Speaker

Narrator (guiding sage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grime-smeared, unclothed avadhūta-like sage in the lanes of Kāśī, moving quietly with a concealed liṅga, receiving alms; the city’s ghats and narrow streets suggest sacred anonymity.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃvarta
• Vārāṇasī
• Kāśī
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual attainment may appear outwardly unconventional; holiness is not measured by external appearance but by realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is explicitly named as the abode of Saṃvarta, reinforcing Kāśī’s status as a liberation-centered sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; the verse points to seeking Saṃvarta in Kāśī and recognizing the sanctity of liṅga-bearing ascetics.