Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

लिंगं च निर्गुणं साक्षाज्जानीध्वं भो द्रिजोतमाः । लयाल्लिंगस्य माहात्म्यं गुणानां परिकीर्त्यते

Transliteration

liṃgaṃ ca nirguṇaṃ sākṣājjānīdhvaṃ bho drijotamāḥ | layālliṃgasya māhātmyaṃ guṇānāṃ parikīrtyate

Translation

Erkennt unmittelbar, o ihr Besten der Zweimalgeborenen, dass der Liṅga nirguṇa ist, jenseits der drei guṇa. Und weil in ihm die Auflösung (laya) geschieht, wird die Größe des Liṅga verkündet, zusammen mit der Lehre von den guṇa.

Word by Word

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

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• nirguṇam: without guṇas
• nirguṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• sākṣāt: directly; manifestly
• sākṣāt: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'directly/manifestly')

• jānīdhvam: know (you all)
• jānīdhvam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा) (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• bho: O!
• bho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (सम्बोधन-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बोधनार्थक निपात (vocative particle)

• dvi-ja-uttamāḥ: O best of the twice-born
• dvi-ja-uttamāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष ('द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः')

• layāt: from/through dissolution
• layāt: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ/अपादानार्थ

• liṅgasya: of the liṅga
• liṅgasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• māhātmyam: greatness; glory
• māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• guṇānām: of the guṇas
• guṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• parikīrtyate: is proclaimed; is described
• parikīrtyate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kīrt (कीर्त्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Vyāsa (addressing dvijas; continuing Nandin’s doctrine)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha Liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-uttamāḥ (best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A proclamation scene: learned dvijas listen as the teacher declares the Liṅga nirguṇa; the Liṅga appears simple and attribute-less, yet radiates an all-pervading light; guṇa symbols appear as faint, secondary annotations around it.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Dvijas
• Guṇas
• Laya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Liṅga is affirmed as nirguṇa; its mahātmya rests on being the ultimate point of dissolution beyond guṇic limitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in the verse; the Kedāra framework uses this doctrine to magnify Liṅga worship associated with Kedārakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual is added here; it strengthens the theological rationale for Liṅga worship.