Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23
Devanagari script
पूजयेत्परया भक्त्या शूलपाणिं महेश्वरम्
Transliteration
pūjayetparayā bhaktyā śūlapāṇiṃ maheśvaram
Translation
In höchster Hingabe verehre man Maheśvara, den Herrn, der den Dreizack trägt.
Word by Word
pūjayetshould worship
pūjayet:
Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpūj (धा॒तु)
FormLiṅ-lakāra (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular
parayāsupreme, intense
parayā:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; used adjectivally with bhaktyā
bhaktyāwith devotion
bhaktyā:
Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
śūla-pāṇimthe trident-holder
śūla-pāṇim:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśūla (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘yasya pāṇau śūlam asti’ (one whose hand holds a trident)
maheśvaramMaheśvara (Śiva)
maheśvaram:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmaheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Kambalakṣetra (Maheśvara/Śūlapāṇi worship)
Type: kshetra
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A devotee offers worship to Śiva holding the trident; the shrine glows with lamp-light; bilva leaves and water offerings are prominent; the atmosphere is reverent and still.
Characters & Entities
M
Maheśvara (Śiva)Ś
Śūlapāṇi (trident-bearer)FAQs
True tīrtha practice is completed by heartfelt devotion—worship of Śiva with sincere bhakti is central.
The ongoing Kambalakṣetra/tīrtha context of Adhyāya 44, where Śiva worship is prescribed.
Perform pūjā to Śiva (Maheśvara), specifically as Śūlapāṇi, with supreme devotion.