Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

विवरस्य च मध्येन समागच्छन्महाप्रभम् । सर्वरत्नमयं लिंगं स्थितं कल्पतरोरधः

Transliteration

vivarasya ca madhyena samāgacchanmahāprabham | sarvaratnamayaṃ liṃgaṃ sthitaṃ kalpataroradhaḥ

Translation

Passing through the middle of a cleft, he came upon a great radiance: a liṅga made of all jewels, standing beneath the wish-fulfilling Kalpataru tree.

Word by Word

• विवरस्य: of the opening/cavity
• विवरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• मध्येन: through the middle
• मध्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; मार्ग/उपायार्थे

• समागच्छन्: approaching/coming
• समागच्छन्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्-आ-

• महाप्रभम्: the greatly splendid one
• महाप्रभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् प्रभः/प्रभा यस्य)

• सर्वरत्नमयम्: made of all gems
• सर्वरत्नमयम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-रत्न-मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः रत्नैः मयम्)

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

• स्थितम्: standing/placed
• स्थितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र लिङ्गम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कल्पतरोः: of the wish-fulfilling tree
• कल्पतरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पतरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कल्पः तरुः)

• अधः: below/beneath
• अधः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

Speaker

Narrator (within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context: likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratnamaya-Liṅga (descriptive epithet)

Type: cave

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-hero passes through a narrow cleft into a hidden sanctum: a blazing, jewel-formed liṅga stands beneath a kalpataru, the whole space shimmering with prabhā.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-liṅga
• Kalpataru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine reveals itself as luminous presence—Śiva’s liṅga—often in wondrous, sacred landscapes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific named tīrtha is not given in this verse; it introduces a sacred spot featuring a gem-like liṅga beneath a kalpataru.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse sets the scene for worship and inquiry.