Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 152

Devanagari script

काशजं वसवो लिंगं स्वयंभुमिति नाम च । त्रिलोहं मातरो लिंगं नाम भूतेशमेव च

Transliteration

kāśajaṃ vasavo liṃgaṃ svayaṃbhumiti nāma ca | trilohaṃ mātaro liṃgaṃ nāma bhūteśameva ca

Translation

Die Vasus verehren einen Liṅga aus Kāśa-Gras und nennen ihn „Svayaṃbhu“ (der Selbstoffenbarte). Die Mütter (Mātṛkās) verehren einen Liṅga aus drei Metallen und geben ihm den Namen „Bhūteśa“ (Herr der Wesen).

Word by Word

• काशजम्: made of kāśa (a metal/material)
• काशजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काश + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; (काशात् जातम् = made of kāśa/bronze-like metal as per context)

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• स्वयम्भुम्: Svayambhū (self-born)
• स्वयम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् + भू (धातु) → स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (स्वयम्+भू = self-existent)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसमाप्त्यर्थक

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/labeling)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• त्रिलोहम्: three-metalled (triloha)
• त्रिलोहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि लोहानि यस्मिन्/त्रिभिः लोहेभिः निर्मितम्)

• मातरः: the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/labeling)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक

• भूतेशम्: Bhūteśa (lord of beings)
• भूतेशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् ईशः = lord of beings)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default attribution

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasus offer simple kāśa-grass garlands to a humble grass-formed liṅga marked ‘Svayaṃbhu’; nearby, the Mātṛkās—powerful mother-goddesses—circle a tri-metal liṅga, radiating protective energy, naming it Bhūteśa; the scene blends austerity with fierce guardianship.

Characters & Entities

• Vasus
• Mātṛkās (Mothers)
• Śiva
• Svayaṃbhu
• Bhūteśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s self-manifest nature (Svayaṃbhu) and sovereignty over all beings (Bhūteśa) are honored through diverse, dharmic modes of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular locality is specified; the verse presents a pan-Purāṇic catalogue of revered liṅga-forms and divine worshippers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-upāsanā accompanied by nāma (invocation): worship with the names ‘Svayaṃbhu’ and ‘Bhūteśa’.