Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

घृतेन हतपापः स्यान्मधुना सुभगो भवेत् । विरोगो दधिदुग्धाभ्यां लिंगं संस्नाप्य जायते

Transliteration

ghṛtena hatapāpaḥ syānmadhunā subhago bhavet | virogo dadhidugdhābhyāṃ liṃgaṃ saṃsnāpya jāyate

Translation

مَن اغتسلَ اللِّينغا بالسَّمن (ghee) زالت خطاياه؛ وبالعسل يصيرُ ذا حُسنٍ وحظٍّ. وباللبن الرائب (دَهي) واللبن إذا سُقِيَتِ اللِّينغا بهما صار المرءُ بريئًا من المرض.

Word by Word

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• हतपापः: one whose sins are destroyed
• हतपापः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हन्) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (हतं पापं यस्य)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुना: with honey
• मधुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• सुभगः: fortunate/attractive
• सुभगः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारयभावः (सु-भगः = very fortunate/beautiful)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विरोगः: free from disease
• विरोगः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरः/सः इत्यध्याहार्यः)

• दधिदुग्धाभ्याम्: with curd and milk
• दधिदुग्धाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक) + दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (दध्ना दुग्धेन च)

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

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed/washed (it)
• संस्नाप्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्ना (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• जायते: is born/arises/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Streams of ghee, honey, curd, and milk cascade over a black stone liṅga, forming layered textures; attendants hold vessels while the devotee prays for purification and health.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional abhiṣeka is portrayed as both inner purification (sin-removal) and outer well-being (health and auspiciousness).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha; the emphasis is on liṅga-abhiṣeka as a universal Śaiva practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing the Śiva-liṅga with ghee, honey, curd, and milk, each associated with distinct merits.