Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

ततो ब्रह्मादिभिः सार्धं विष्णुना शंकरेण च । पूर्वं संस्थापयामास पश्चिमायामदूरतः

Transliteration

tato brahmādibhiḥ sārdhaṃ viṣṇunā śaṃkareṇa ca | pūrvaṃ saṃsthāpayāmāsa paścimāyāmadūrataḥ

Translation

Then, together with Brahmā and the other gods—with Viṣṇu and Śaṅkara—he first installed it to the east, not far from the western quarter of that region.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Desha-kala (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• brahmādibhiḥ: with Brahmā and others
• brahmādibhiḥ: Sahakari/Karana (Accompaniment/Instrument/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-समास: ब्रह्मा आदयः); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural)

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (postposition/adverb)

• viṣṇunā: with Viṣṇu
• viṣṇunā: Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Instrumental Singular)

• śaṃkareṇa: with Śaṅkara
• śaṃkareṇa: Saha (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Instrumental Singular)

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

• pūrvam: first/previously
• pūrvam: Desha-kala (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• saṃsthāpayāmāsa: caused to be established / installed
• saṃsthāpayāmāsa: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्, causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Periphrastic Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन (3rd sg); णिजन्त (causative)

• paścimāyām: in the west (direction)
• paścimāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Locative Singular)

• adūrataḥ: not far away
• adūrataḥ: Desha (Spatial/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adūratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta-style narration within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pratijñeśvara (contextual, named next verse)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand consecration: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śaṅkara with other gods install a liṅga, marking an eastern placement relative to the western side of the region; ritual vessels, flowers, and Vedic gestures abound.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of a sthala is affirmed by divine participation; consecration is portrayed as a cosmic act involving the highest deities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A direction-marked consecration zone is described (east/west proximity), indicating a mapped pilgrimage landscape within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā performed in the presence of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva—an archetype for proper consecration.