Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एतल्लिंगं संवृणुष्व पूजनाय जनार्दन । पिंडिभूत्वा महाबाहो रक्षस्व सचराचरम् । तथेति मत्वा बगवान्वीरभद्रोऽभ्यपूजयत्

Transliteration

etalliṃgaṃ saṃvṛṇuṣva pūjanāya janārdana | piṃḍibhūtvā mahābāho rakṣasva sacarācaram | tatheti matvā bagavānvīrabhadro'bhyapūjayat

Translation

«O Janārdana, bedecke diesen Liṅga zum Zwecke der Verehrung. O du mit mächtigen Armen, verdichte dich zur heiligen Gestalt (piṇḍī) und beschütze alles Bewegte und Unbewegte.» So entschlossen — «So sei es» — verehrte der selige Vīrabhadra in rechter Weise.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally)

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

• saṃvṛṇuṣva: cover, enclose
• saṃvṛṇuṣva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु) उपसर्ग: sam-
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• pūjanāya: for worship
• pūjanāya: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjanā (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ दत्तिविभक्ति (for the purpose of worship)

• janārdana: O Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• janārdana: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• piṃḍibhūtvā: having become a compact mass
• piṃḍibhūtvā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: piṃḍī-bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘piṃḍī’ (गोल/पिण्डरूपेण) + √bhū

• mahābāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahābāho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् बāhuḥ यस्य)

• rakṣasva: protect
• rakṣasva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• sa-carācaram: (the world) with moving and unmoving beings
• sa-carācaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa + cara + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (चर + अचर) ‘स’ उपपद (with)

• tathā: so, thus
• tathā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकार: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• iti: thus (quoting)
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• matvā: having thought/considered
• matvā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) √man ‘to think’

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• abhyapūjayat: worshipped (reverently)
• abhyapūjayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु) उपसर्ग: abhi-
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Nabho-gatā Vāṇī (celestial voice) (instruction), followed by narrative voice

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Janārdana is addressed to ‘cover/enshrine’ the liṅga for worship; Vīrabhadra assumes a condensed sacred presence (piṇḍī-bhāva) as guardian, then performs formal pūjā before the liṅga in a Himalayan sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Liṅga
• Vīrabhadra
• Sacarācara (all beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship includes safeguarding the sacred—divine power is approached through protective, orderly devotion rather than fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, where the Liṅga’s worship and protection are narrated as part of the site’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pūjā is emphasized; the verse also implies establishing/covering (saṁvṛṇuṣva) the Liṅga in a worship-ready form.