Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 153

Devanagari script

लौहं च रक्षसां नाम भूतभव्यभवोद्भवम् । गुह्यकाः सीसजं लिंगं नाम योगं जपंति च

Transliteration

lauhaṃ ca rakṣasāṃ nāma bhūtabhavyabhavodbhavam | guhyakāḥ sīsajaṃ liṃgaṃ nāma yogaṃ japaṃti ca

Translation

The Rākṣasas worship an iron liṅga, invoking the name “Bhūtabhavyabhavodbhava” (Source of beings past, future, and present). The Guhyakas worship a liṅga made of lead, and they also chant the name “Yoga”.

Word by Word

• lauham: iron (made of iron)
• lauham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lauha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; here as object/apposition

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• rakṣasām: of the rākṣasas
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• nāma: name; called
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; indeclinable-like usage ‘named/as the name’

• bhūta-bhavya-bhava-udbhavam: arising from past, future, and present
• bhūta-bhavya-bhava-udbhavam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhava (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘भूतभव्यभवस्य उद्भवः’

• guhyakāḥ: the Guhyakas
• guhyakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• sīsajam: made of lead
• sīsajam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sīsa (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘सीसात् जातम्/सीसस्य’

• liṅgam: liṅga (emblem)
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• nāma: named; as the name
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; naming particle-like usage

• yogam: Yoga (as a name/mantra)
• yogam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• japanti: they recite
• japanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default attribution

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic assembly: fierce Rākṣasas before a dark iron liṅga, while luminous Guhyakas in a hidden grove worship a dull-grey lead liṅga; both streams of mantra rise as visible syllabic light—‘Bhūtabhavyabhavodbhava’ and ‘Yoga’.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Guhyakas
• Śiva
• Bhūtabhavyabhavodbhava
• Yoga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the transcendent source of time’s threefold flow (past-present-future), and even varied classes of beings approach Him through disciplined japa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is stated; the focus is on cosmic theology and the diversity of Śiva-upāsanā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa (chanting) of Śiva’s names—especially ‘Bhūtabhavyabhavodbhava’ and ‘Yoga’—while worshipping the corresponding liṅga forms.