Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तथा किं बहुनोक्तेन सर्वेऽपि स्थिरजंगमाः । प्राणिनोऽपि हि जायंते केवलं लिंगधारिणः

Transliteration

tathā kiṃ bahunoktena sarve'pi sthirajaṃgamāḥ | prāṇino'pi hi jāyaṃte kevalaṃ liṃgadhāriṇaḥ

Translation

Und wozu noch vieles sagen? Alle Wesen, unbewegliche wie bewegliche—ja alle Lebenden—werden geboren allein als Träger des Liṅga, des Zeichens der zeugenden Kraft und der Identität.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; एवम्/तथैव (thus)

• किम्: what (need)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नार्थक-प्रयोगः

• बहुना: with much (talk)
• बहुना: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणार्थे (instrumental: by much)

• उक्तेन: by what is said; by speech
• उक्तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वच् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणार्थे

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

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

• स्थिरजङ्गमाः: the stationary and the moving (beings)
• स्थिरजङ्गमाः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (स्थिराश्च जङ्गमाश्च)

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक

• जायन्ते: are born; come into being
• जायन्ते: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवलम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; केवलार्थे (only/merely)

• लिङ्गधारिणः: wearers/bearers of the liṅga
• लिङ्गधारिणः: Karta (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गं धारयन्ति)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: plants, mountains, animals, humans, and sages all connected by a subtle luminous axis culminating in a radiant liṅga—suggesting the ‘mark’ present in all births.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All embodied life is characterized by liṅga (a defining mark), pointing to the pervasive principle behind manifestation and generation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedāranātha is the broader setting in Kedārakhaṇḍa, though this verse focuses on liṅga-tattva rather than a specific spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it provides a doctrinal premise for later praise of liṅga-worship.