Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 167

Devanagari script

गौडं कामस्तथा लिंगं रतिदं चेति नाम च । शची लवणलिंगं तु बभ्रुकेशेति नाम च

Transliteration

gauḍaṃ kāmastathā liṃgaṃ ratidaṃ ceti nāma ca | śacī lavaṇaliṃgaṃ tu babhrukeśeti nāma ca

Translation

Kāma formte einen Liṅga aus Jaggery (Palmzucker) und nannte ihn „Ratida“, den Spender der Wonne. Śacī formte einen Liṅga aus Salz und nannte ihn „Babhrukeśa“.

Word by Word

• गौडम्: jaggery/molasses (gauḍa)
• गौडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्रव्य/देश-विशेष-नाम (as substance/name)

• कामः: Kāma (god of love)
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रतिदम्: Ratida (a name)
• रतिदम्: Name (Apposition to liṅga)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रतिद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नाम-रूपेण

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Name-apposition
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘by name’)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शची: Śacī (Indrāṇī)
• शची: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लवण-लिङ्गम्: salt-liṅga
• लवण-लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-निपात (but/indeed)

• बभ्रुकेश-इति: “Babhrukeśa” (thus)
• बभ्रुकेश-इति: Name/Quotation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बभ्रुकेश (प्रातिपदिक) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-प्रयोगः; बभ्रुकेश-शब्दः उद्धृत-नाम

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Name-apposition
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘by name’)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāma, graceful and youthful, shapes a jaggery liṅga named Ratida; Śacī (Indrāṇī), regal and composed, fashions a salt liṅga named Babhrukeśa, both offering with reverence before a Śiva altar.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma
• Ratida
• Śacī
• Babhrukeśa
• Śiva (Liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even worldly forces like desire are redirected into devotion when offered to Śiva in sanctified form.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit pilgrimage site is mentioned here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies worship through offerings (sweet and salt substances), without giving a formal rite.