Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

संपूज्य विधिवल्लिंगं सम्यग्राजोपचारतः । अथवा भक्तिभावेन प्राप्नुयात्परमं पदम्

Transliteration

saṃpūjya vidhivalliṃgaṃ samyagrājopacārataḥ | athavā bhaktibhāvena prāpnuyātparamaṃ padam

Translation

مَن عبدَ اللِّينغا (Liṅga) على وفق الشريعة والطقس، مقدِّمًا القرابين كاملةً كقربانٍ ملوكي؛ أو حتى بمجرد شعورٍ صادقٍ بالبهكتي—نال المقام الأعلى.

Word by Word

• संपूज्य: having worshipped well
• संपूज्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having duly worshipped

• विधिवत्: according to proper rite
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: according to rule)

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

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• राजोपचारतः: with royal offerings/attendances
• राजोपचारतः: Karana (Manner/means)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + उपचार (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राज्ञः उपचाराः/राजोपचारः); तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: by means of royal services)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• भक्तिभावेन: with a feeling of devotion
• भक्तिभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भक्तेः भावः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• प्राप्नुयात्: may attain
• प्राप्नुयात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पदम्: state, abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (continuing narration to Umā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛhaspatīśvara (within Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands before a radiant liṅga at Prabhāsa, with attendants arranging ‘rājopacāra’—lamps, incense, flowers, cloth, and offerings—while another simple devotee offers a single flower with folded hands; both are shown receiving the same divine grace.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Both proper ritual and pure devotion lead to the highest goal; bhakti is upheld as powerful even without elaborate means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, focusing on the revered liṅga worship described in Adhyāya 47.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga pūjā vidhivat (per injunctions), optionally with full rājopacāra (formal ‘royal’ offerings), or simply with sincere bhakti-bhāva.