Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

एतद्वीर्यं मया धैर्यात्स्तंभितं लिंगमध्यगम् । अमोघं तिष्ठते सर्वं क्व दधामि निवेद्यताम्

Transliteration

etadvīryaṃ mayā dhairyātstaṃbhitaṃ liṃgamadhyagam | amoghaṃ tiṣṭhate sarvaṃ kva dadhāmi nivedyatām

Translation

„Durch Standhaftigkeit habe ich diese gewaltige Kraft gezügelt und sie im Innern des Liṅga bewahrt. Sie bleibt gänzlich unfehlbar — sagt mir, wohin soll ich sie legen?“

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• वीर्यम्: seed/energy/potency
• वीर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन (1st person pronoun, Instrumental, Singular)

• धैर्यात्: from/through steadfastness
• धैर्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhairya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular)

• स्तंभितम्: restrained/held back
• स्तंभितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √stambh (धातु) + स्तंभित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लिङ्ग-मध्य-गम्: gone into the middle of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-मध्य-गम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + √gam (धातु) → गम् (कृदन्त, क्त/निष्ठा-समासान्त)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः) ‘लिङ्गस्य मध्ये गतम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अमोघम्: unfailing
• अमोघम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• तिष्ठते: stands/remains
• तिष्ठते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada)

• सर्वम्: everything/it all
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Deśa/Prashna (Query of place/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• दधामि: shall I place/put
• दधामि: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present, 1st sg, Parasmaipada)

• निवेद्यताम्: let it be submitted/declared
• निवेद्यताम्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु) + नि- (उपसर्ग) → निवेद्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Imperative, 3rd sg, Passive): ‘let it be presented/announced’

Speaker

Śiva (Śrī Bhagavān / Tripurāntaka)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant, barely containable tejas is shown being held within the central liṅga; the speaker stands in composed dhairya, palms poised in offering, asking where the ‘amogha’ power should be placed.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Liṅga
• Vīrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s vīrya is portrayed as controlled, purposeful power—strength guided by dhairya (steadfast restraint) and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this single verse; however, the liṅga-centered imagery commonly supports a tīrtha’s sacrality in Māhātmya contexts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a theological statement about liṅga and divine potency.