Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

घृतकंबलमाहात्म्यान्मकरस्थे दिवाकरे । अपि बाल्यादवज्ञानात्संयोगाद्घृतलिंगयोः

Transliteration

ghṛtakaṃbalamāhātmyānmakarasthe divākare | api bālyādavajñānātsaṃyogādghṛtaliṃgayoḥ

Translation

Durch die Größe des ‘ghṛta-kambala’ (Verehrung, bei der der Liṅga mit Ghee bedeckt wird), als die Sonne in Makara (Steinbock) stand, selbst bei kindlicher Unachtsamkeit, schon durch die bloße Berührung von Ghee und Liṅga…

Word by Word

• घृतकंबलमाहात्म्यात्: due to the greatness of the ghee-blanket (rite)
• घृतकंबलमाहात्म्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृतकंबल + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (घृतकंबलस्य माहात्म्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन

• मकरस्थे: when (the sun) was in Capricorn
• मकरस्थे: Adhikarana (Time/astrological locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मकर + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मकरे स्थितः); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; ‘दिवाकरे’ इति विशेषण

• दिवाकरे: when the sun (was)
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपेक्षा (also/even)

• बाल्यात्: from childhood
• बाल्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन

• अवज्ञानात्: from disrespect/neglect
• अवज्ञानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन

• संयोगात्: from contact/association
• संयोगात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन

• घृतलिंगयोः: of/with ghee and the liṅga (together)
• घृतलिंगयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (घृतं च लिङ्गं च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative Dual)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (continuing explanation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ghṛta-kambala (rite/observance associated with liṅga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Not specified (likely a sage/assembly within Purāṇic dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child innocently smearing or touching ghee to a Śiva-liṅga as the Sun enters Makara; priests and lamps nearby; the liṅga gleams with a soft golden sheen from ghee.

Characters & Entities

• Divākara (Sun)
• Makara-saṅkrānti (implied)
• Śiva (via liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The māhātmya principle: sacred times (Makara season) and sacred objects (liṅga) magnify spiritual merit even when devotion is imperfect.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes a time-based māhātmya (Makara period) rather than naming a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Association of ghṛta (ghee) with the Śiva-liṅga—foreshadowing the practice of covering/worshiping the liṅga with ghee (ghṛtakambala).