Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

भूमिं भित्त्वा विवेशाथ तत्र लिंगमपश्यत । स्पर्शाख्यं तं तु संछाद्य मधुना दर्भमूलकैः

Transliteration

bhūmiṃ bhittvā viveśātha tatra liṃgamapaśyata | sparśākhyaṃ taṃ tu saṃchādya madhunā darbhamūlakaiḥ

Translation

شقَّ الأرضَ ودخل إلى باطنها؛ فرأى هناك لِنْغًا. ثم غطّى ذلك اللِنْغ—المعروف باسم «سْبارشا»—بالعسل وجذور عشب الدَّربها، مُعظِّمًا له بخشوع.

Word by Word

• भूमिम्: the ground
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; 'earth/ground'

• भित्त्वा: having split
• भित्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having split'

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'entered'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

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

• अपश्यत: saw
• अपश्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'saw'

• स्पर्शाख्यम्: called ‘Sparśa’
• स्पर्शाख्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्श + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे 'named Sparśa'

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; 'that (one)'

• तु: indeed
• तु: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• संछाद्य: having covered
• संछाद्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+छद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having covered'

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

• दर्भमूलकैः: with darbha-root pieces
• दर्भमूलकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ + मूलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः 'blades/tufts having darbha as root'

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sparśa-liṅga (within Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred figure breaks open the earth and descends into a luminous cavity where a liṅga named ‘Sparśa’ is revealed; attendants watch in awe as honey and darbha roots are placed as coverings/offering.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Liṅga (Sparśa-liṅga)
• Darbha
• Honey

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s presence as the liṅga can manifest from hidden depths; reverent ritual attention makes the sacred accessible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, specifically the manifestation associated with the Sparśa-named liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honoring and covering the Sparśa-liṅga with honey and darbha roots as a consecratory/reverential act.