Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

हेमकूटे विरूपाक्षं भूर्भुवं गन्धमादने । लिंगेश्वरे च वरदं लंकायां च नरांतकम्

Transliteration

hemakūṭe virūpākṣaṃ bhūrbhuvaṃ gandhamādane | liṃgeśvare ca varadaṃ laṃkāyāṃ ca narāṃtakam

Translation

Auf Hemakūṭa ist er Virūpākṣa; auf Gandhamādana ist er Bhūrbhuva. In Liṅgeśvara ist er Varada, und auf Laṅkā ist er Narāntaka—so werden Śivas heilige Gestalten, an ihre Orte gebunden, verkündet.

Word by Word

• हेमकूटे: at Hemakūṭa
• हेमकूटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (हेमस्य कूटः)

• विरूपाक्षम्: Virūpākṣa (the odd-eyed; name)
• विरूपाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य)

• भूर्भुवम्: Bhūr-bhuva (earth and mid-region; name)
• भूर्भुवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूः + भुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (भूः च भुवः च)

• गन्धमादने: at Gandhamādana
• गन्धमादने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + मादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गन्धानां मादनः/मादनम्)

• लिङ्गेश्वरे: at Liṅgeśvara
• लिङ्गेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (लिङ्गस्य ईश्वरः)

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

• वरदम्: Varada (boon-giver; name)
• वरदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लंकायाम्: in Laṅkā
• लंकायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• नरान्तकम्: Narāntaka (ender of men; name)
• नरान्तकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नराणाम् अन्तकः)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hemakūṭa Virūpākṣa; Gandhamādana Bhūrbhuva; Liṅgeśvara Varada; Laṅkā Narāntaka

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mountain-and-island panorama: Hemakūṭa with a distinctive ‘three-eyed/odd-eyed’ Virūpākṣa liṅga shrine; Gandhamādana with fragrant forests and a ‘Bhūrbhuva’ cosmic emblem (three worlds); a Liṅgeśvara shrine where Śiva grants boons (Varada) to a kneeling devotee; Laṅkā with a fierce Narāntaka aspect guarding the shore/fortress.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Hemakūṭa
• Virūpākṣa
• Gandhamādana
• Bhūrbhuva
• Liṅgeśvara
• Varada
• Laṅkā
• Narāntaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic vision maps divinity onto the landscape: mountains and regions become living reminders of Śiva’s many names and powers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hemakūṭa, Gandhamādana, Liṅgeśvara, and Laṅkā are presented as abodes where Śiva is revered under specific names.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the emphasis is on knowing and reciting the place-linked names of Śiva.