Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं देवानामादिदैवतम् । गंधपुष्पादिविधिना पंचामृतरसोदकैः

Transliteration

pratiṣṭhāpya mahāliṃgaṃ devānāmādidaivatam | gaṃdhapuṣpādividhinā paṃcāmṛtarasodakaiḥ

Translation

Nachdem man den großen Liṅga, die uranfängliche Gottheit der Götter, geweiht und aufgerichtet hat, (soll man ihn verehren) nach dem Ritus mit Duftstoffen und Blumen sowie mit den Flüssigkeiten des Pañcāmṛta.

Word by Word

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग) + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महद् लिङ्गम्)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• आदिदैवतम्: the primordial deity
• आदिदैवतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि + दैवत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (आदि-दैवतं = प्रथमं देवता-स्वरूपम्)

• गन्धपुष्पादिविधिना: by the procedure of scents, flowers, etc.
• गन्धपुष्पादिविधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + पुष्प + आदि + विधि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गन्ध-पुष्प-आदि-विधिः तेन)

• पञ्चामृतरसोदकैः: with waters/juices of pañcāmṛta
• पञ्चामृतरसोदकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अमृत + रस + उदक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पञ्चामृतस्य रस-उदकानि तैः)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrator, traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims and priests consecrate a towering black stone liṅga in Prabhāsa-kṣetra; vessels of pañcāmṛta are poured in a continuous stream, while flowers, bilva leaves, and fragrant paste are offered; lamps glow and conch sounds frame the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāliṅga
• Ādidaivata (Śiva as primal deity)
• Pañcāmṛta (ritual offering)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right ritual (vidhi) joined with devotion to the primal Lord brings purification and sanctifies the pilgrim’s journey.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The mahāliṅga(s) of Prabhāsa Kṣetra, within the Śatamedha–Koṭimedha–Sahasrakratu triad context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga worship with gandha and puṣpa, and abhiṣeka using pañcāmṛta liquids.