Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अनादीशस्य देवस्य आदिनाम महाप्रभे । तस्मिंल्लिंगे तु ये देवि मदीयव्रतमाश्रिताः

Transliteration

anādīśasya devasya ādināma mahāprabhe | tasmiṃlliṃge tu ye devi madīyavratamāśritāḥ

Translation

Die Gottheit ist der Herr ohne Anfang; und doch trägt Er den Namen „Ādi“ (der Erste), o du von großer Strahlkraft. Und, o Devī, jene, die bei jenem Liṅga Zuflucht in meinem Gelübde nehmen…

Word by Word

• anādīśasya: of the lord without beginning
• anādīśasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-ādi-īśa (प्रातिपदिक: an + ādi + īśa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• devasya: of the god
• devasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ādināma: named ‘Ādi’ / having the name ‘Ādi’
• ādināma: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādi-nāman (प्रातिपदिक: ādi + nāman)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• mahāprabhe: O great-splendoured one
• mahāprabhe: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-prabhā (प्रातिपदिक: mahā + prabhā)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• liṅge: in the liṅga
• liṅge: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• madīya-vratam: my vow/observance
• madīya-vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madīya + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• āśritāḥ: having resorted to, devoted to
• āśritāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-śri (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ādi-liṅga / Somnātha Liṅga (contextual within Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (mahāprabhā; addressed as ‘devi’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Īśvara clarifies the name: though beginningless, he is called Ādi; then he gestures toward the liṅga, indicating those who take refuge in his vow connected to that liṅga—metaphysical calm with devotional focus.

Characters & Entities

• Anādīśa (Śiva)
• Ādi (epithet)
• Liṅga
• Devī (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The transcendent (beginningless) Lord can still be approached through sacred names and vowed practice focused on the Liṅga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, specifically the Liṅga that is central to the chapter’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Taking refuge in Śiva’s prescribed vrata connected with the Liṅga (madīya-vrata).