Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तत्र तीर्थे तपस्तप्त्वा शिखार्थं हव्यवाहनः । शिखां प्राप्य शिखी भूत्वा शिखाख्यं स्थापयञ्छिवम्

Transliteration

tatra tīrthe tapastaptvā śikhārthaṃ havyavāhanaḥ | śikhāṃ prāpya śikhī bhūtvā śikhākhyaṃ sthāpayañchivam

Translation

At that tīrtha, Havyavāhana (Agni) performed austerities in order to obtain a crest (śikhā). Having gained that crest and becoming ‘Śikhī’, he established Śiva there, giving Him the name ‘Śikhākhya’ (Śiva known as Śikhākhya).

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred place
• तीर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (कर्मरूपेण)

• तप्त्वा: having performed austerity
• तप्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), धातु: तप्, अर्थ: तपः कृत्वा

• शिखार्थम्: for the sake of the tuft/flame (śikhā)
• शिखार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (शिखायाः अर्थः/शिखां प्रति प्रयोजनम्)

• हव्यवाहनः: Havyavāhana (Agni)
• हव्यवाहनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हव्यस्य वाहनः) = अग्निः

• शिखाम्: a tuft/flame
• शिखाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), अर्थ: प्राप्य = प्राप्त्वा

• शिखी: one with a crest/tuft; peacock-like
• शिखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), धातु: भू

• शिखाख्यम्: named ‘Śikhā’
• शिखाख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (शिखा-आख्यम् = शिखेति नाम यस्य)

• स्थापयन्: installing/establishing
• स्थापयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: वर्तमानकाल कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: स्था, णिच्-प्रयोग: स्थापयति

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śikhitīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agni (Havyavāhana) performing fierce austerities at a riverside tīrtha; a radiant crest/śikhā appears; Agni becomes ‘Śikhī’; then he consecrates a Śiva-liṅga named Śikhākhya with fire-lit rituals.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Havyavāhana)
• Śiva
• Śikhitīrtha
• Śikhākhya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine beings attain special powers and sacred identity through tapas, and they sanctify a place by installing Śiva for the welfare of the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śikhitīrtha, where Agni’s austerity culminates in the establishment of Śiva as Śikhākhya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) and the establishment (sthāpana/pratiṣṭhā) of Śiva as the foundational sacred act.