Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कूर्मपृष्ठात्समुत्पाद्य आत्मयोगेन शंभुना । स्थितस्तत्रैव श्रीकण्ठः कालत्रयविदो विदुः

Transliteration

kūrmapṛṣṭhātsamutpādya ātmayogena śaṃbhunā | sthitastatraiva śrīkaṇṭhaḥ kālatrayavido viduḥ

Translation

Durch seine eigene yogische Kraft ließ Śambhu es vom Rücken einer Schildkröte hervorgehen; und ebendort verweilte Śrīkaṇṭha. Die Kenner der drei Zeiten verstehen dies.

Word by Word

• कूर्म-पृष्ठात्: from the tortoise’s back
• कूर्म-पृष्ठात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; कूर्मस्य पृष्ठम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• समुत्पाद्य: having produced / brought forth
• समुत्पाद्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ut-pād (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/absolutive)

• आत्म-योगेन: by his own yogic power
• आत्म-योगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनः योगः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• शंभुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुना: Kartr (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• स्थितः: stood / remained
• स्थितः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (स्था-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

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

• एव: indeed / right there
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• श्रीकण्ठः: Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva)
• श्रीकण्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; श्री- (शोभा/लक्ष्मी) + कण्ठ इति कर्मधारयः

• काल-त्रय-विदः: knowers of the three times
• काल-त्रय-विदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + traya + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कालत्रयस्य विदः (जानन्तः) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• विदुः: know / have known
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Indreśvara at Dharmāraṇya (kūrma-prādurbhāva)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tortoise (kūrma) appears as a sacred support; from its back, by Śiva’s yogic power, the liṅga is brought forth; Śrīkaṇṭha stands abiding, radiating calm; seers recognize the trikāla mystery.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śambhu, Śrīkaṇṭha)
• Kūrma (tortoise)
• Liṅga
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred is not merely symbolic: the Lord can manifest forms through yogic sovereignty, making a place permanently charged with sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, where Śiva’s manifested liṅga is said to arise in a wondrous manner.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse provides the miraculous origin narrative that supports faith in worship there.