Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ततः स्वभवनं प्राप्य लिंगमूर्ति महेश्वरम् । प्रत्यहं पूजयामास चिताभस्मोपहारकृत्

Transliteration

tataḥ svabhavanaṃ prāpya liṃgamūrti maheśvaram | pratyahaṃ pūjayāmāsa citābhasmopahārakṛt

Translation

Then, reaching his own dwelling, he worshiped Maheśvara in the form of the Liṅga each day, making an offering of the ash from the funeral pyre.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरवाचक (adverb of sequence)

• sva-bhavanam: his own house
• sva-bhavanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (स्वं भवनम्)

• prāpya: having reached
• prāpya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prā-āp (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• liṅga-mūrtim: the liṅga-form (icon)
• liṅga-mūrtim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गरूपा मूर्तिः)

• maheśvaram: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pratyaham: daily
• pratyaham: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pratyaham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव-समास (प्रति + अहः) = ‘each day’

• pūjayāmāsa: worshipped
• pūjayāmāsa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Periphrastic Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• citā-bhasma-upahāra-kṛt: one who offered funeral-ash as an offering
• citā-bhasma-upahāra-kṛt: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + upahāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (चिताभस्मस्य उपहारं करोति इति); ‘कृत्’ = कर्तृवाचक (doer)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration from prior verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a simple hut, a small earthen/stone liṅga is set on a pedestal; the Śabara offers a pinch of cremation ash with folded hands, lamp flickering, smoke curling upward.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Liṅga
• Caṇḍaka
• Śabara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistent daily worship, even with simple means, becomes powerful when performed with devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the setting is the devotee’s own home with a Liṅga-mūrti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform daily Liṅga worship of Maheśvara and offer citā-bhasma as an upahāra.