Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

पूजाकाले स्वयं तत्र लिंगमध्येस्थितो हरः । जंगमा जंगमैः सार्धं स्वयं जग्राह पूजनम्

Transliteration

pūjākāle svayaṃ tatra liṃgamadhyesthito haraḥ | jaṃgamā jaṃgamaiḥ sārdhaṃ svayaṃ jagrāha pūjanam

Translation

At the time of worship, Hara himself was present there within the very heart of the liṅga; together with the moving beings—the living devotees—he personally received the worship.

Word by Word

• pūjā-kāle: at the time of worship
• pūjā-kāle: Adhikarana (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुजायाः कालः)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक/स्वयम्-शब्दः (emphatic: oneself)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• liṅga-madhye-sthitaḥ: standing in the middle of the liṅga
• liṅga-madhye-sthitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (कृदन्त; √sthā धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘स्थित’; समासः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः) ‘लिङ्गमध्येस्थितः’ = लिङ्गस्य मध्ये स्थितः

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• jaṅgamāḥ: moving beings
• jaṅgamāḥ: Sahakari (Associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• jaṅgamaiḥ: with moving beings
• jaṅgamaiḥ: Sahakari (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sahakari (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक/स्वयम्-शब्दः

• jagrāha: accepted/took up
• jagrāha: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• pūjanam: the worship
• pūjanam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a sanctum, the liṅga glows as Hara is seen seated within its heart; devotees (jaṅgama) offer flowers, water, lamps; the air is thick with incense and reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Śiva-liṅga
• Devotees (jaṅgama)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The liṅga is not merely symbolic—Śiva is described as directly present and as truly accepting the devotee’s worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The consecrated liṅga at the adhyāya’s sacred lake-site is shown as a place of immediate divine presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā to the liṅga with the understanding that Śiva personally receives the offerings.