Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

ततः प्रविश्य पातालं देवैः सार्धं पितामहः । स्वयमेवाकरोत्पूजां तस्य लिंगस्य भक्तितः

Transliteration

tataḥ praviśya pātālaṃ devaiḥ sārdhaṃ pitāmahaḥ | svayamevākarotpūjāṃ tasya liṃgasya bhaktitaḥ

Translation

Daraufhin betrat Pitāmaha (Brahmā) zusammen mit den Göttern Pātāla und vollzog aus Hingabe selbst die Verehrung jenes heiligen Liṅga.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रम (adverb: then/from there)

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• पातालम्: Pātāla (netherworld)
• पातालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म

• देवैः: with the gods
• देवैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (postposition: together with)

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्वकर्तृत्व-बोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• अकरोत्: performed, did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

Speaker

Narrator (context: Sūta in Mahātmya-style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: cave

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, accompanied by devas, enters the subterranean realm and performs pūjā to a radiant liṅga; the setting suggests cavernous depths with jewel-like glow.

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Devas
• Pātāla
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest deities model humility: sincere bhakti expressed through pūjā is the hallmark of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred Pātāla-associated liṅga-sthāna within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (formal worship) of the liṅga performed with devotion (bhakti) is highlighted.