Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 157

Devanagari script

वरुणः स्फाटिकं लिंगं नाम्ना च परमेश्वरम् । नागा विद्रुमलिंगं च नाम लोकत्रयंकरम्

Transliteration

varuṇaḥ sphāṭikaṃ liṃgaṃ nāmnā ca parameśvaram | nāgā vidrumaliṃgaṃ ca nāma lokatrayaṃkaram

Translation

Varuṇa verehrt einen Kristall‑Liṅga (sphāṭika) und ruft ihn als „Parameśvara“, den Höchsten Herrn, an. Die Nāgas verehren einen Korallen‑Liṅga und nennen ihn „Lokatrayaṃkara“, Wohltäter der drei Welten.

Word by Word

• varuṇaḥ: Varuṇa
• varuṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sphāṭikam: crystal
• sphāṭikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sphāṭika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• nāmnā: by the name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे ‘by the name (of)’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• parameśvaram: Parameśvara (Supreme Lord)
• parameśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय) ‘परमः ईश्वरः’

• nāgāḥ: the Nāgas
• nāgāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• vidruma-liṅgam: coral liṅga
• vidruma-liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidruma (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘विद्रुमस्य लिङ्गम्’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• nāma: named; called
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; naming usage

• loka-trayaṃ-karam: maker of the three worlds
• loka-trayaṃ-karam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘लोकत्रयं करोति’ (कृदर्थे बहुव्रीहिवत् अर्थः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default attribution

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sphāṭika-liṅga (Varuṇa-upāsanā) / Vidruma-liṅga (Nāga-upāsanā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varuṇa in oceanic court worships a transparent crystal liṅga refracting light like a prism; nearby, Nāgas in jeweled hoods worship a red coral liṅga amid underwater/underground treasure, chanting ‘Parameśvara’ and ‘Lokatrayaṃkara’.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Nāgas
• Śiva
• Parameśvara
• Lokatrayaṃkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the Supreme Lord and universal benefactor; different cosmic communities honor Him with names reflecting His all-world-protecting grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No geographical tīrtha is specified; the verse emphasizes cosmic devotion to Śiva across realms (water, subterranean, and celestial).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of crystal and coral liṅgas with nāma invocation: ‘Parameśvara’ and ‘Lokatrayaṃkara’.