Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ततो माहेश्वरं लिंगं वटाधस्ताद्विधाय सः । विष्णुं च स्थापयामास अश्वत्थस्य तरोरधः

Transliteration

tato māheśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ vaṭādhastādvidhāya saḥ | viṣṇuṃ ca sthāpayāmāsa aśvatthasya taroradhaḥ

Translation

Dann errichtete er unter einem Banyanbaum einen Māheśvara‑Liṅga; und unter dem Aśvattha‑Baum (Pipal) stellte er auch Viṣṇu auf.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रमवाचक

• māheśvaram: of Maheśvara (Śiva)
• māheśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘liṅgam’ इत्यस्य

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

• vaṭa-adhastāt: beneath the banyan tree
• vaṭa-adhastāt: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय—देशवाचक (under the banyan)

• vidhāya: having placed/arranged
• vidhāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhā (वि+धा-धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• sthāpayāmāsa: installed/caused to be placed
• sthāpayāmāsa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था-धातु) + ṇic (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) प्रयोगः—‘स्थापयति’

• aśvatthasya: of the aśvattha (peepal) tree
• aśvatthasya: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvattha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• taroḥ: of the tree
• taroḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• adhaḥ: below/beneath
• adhaḥ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—देशवाचक (below)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a sacred grove, artisans and priests install a Śiva-liṅga beneath a massive banyan with aerial roots, while nearby a Viṣṇu image is set beneath a venerable pipal; lamps, flowers, and ritual vessels surround them.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Māheśvara liṅga)
• Viṣṇu
• Vaṭa (banyan)
• Aśvattha (pipal)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The kṣetra harmonizes devotion—Śiva and Viṣṇu are worshipped through consecrated presence, integrated with sacred trees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual landscape within Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, where deity-installations are performed under vaṭa and aśvattha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (installation): establishing a Śiva-liṅga under a banyan and installing Viṣṇu under a pipal tree.