Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

पीठिका विष्णुरूपं स्याल्लिंगरूपी महेश्वरः । तस्माल्लिंगार्चनं श्रेष्ठं सर्वेषामपि वै द्विजाः

Transliteration

pīṭhikā viṣṇurūpaṃ syālliṃgarūpī maheśvaraḥ | tasmālliṃgārcanaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sarveṣāmapi vai dvijāḥ

Translation

The pedestal (pīṭhikā) is of the form of Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara is of the form of the liṅga. Therefore, worship of the liṅga is the best for all—indeed, O twice-born.

Word by Word

• पीठिका: the pedestal/base
• पीठिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• विष्णु-रूपम्: of the form of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-रूपम्: Pratipadyamāna (Predicate complement/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः रूपम्)

• स्यात्: may be/is (should be understood as)
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• लिङ्ग-रूपी: having the form of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-रूपी: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य रूपी)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति निपातवत्; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that)

• लिङ्ग-अर्चनम्: worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-अर्चनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च् (धातु) ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य अर्चनम्)

• श्रेष्ठम्: best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Pratipadyamāna (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (vocative-sense though nominative form)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha Liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of a liṅga on its pīṭhikā: the pedestal subtly bears Viṣṇu motifs (śaṅkha-cakra) while the liṅga radiates Śiva’s presence; learned dvijas instruct pilgrims in proper arcana.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liṅga worship is praised as the highest practice, integrating Viṣṇu (as pīṭhikā) and Śiva (as liṅga) in a single act of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedāranātha, where liṅga worship is central to the tīrtha’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅgārcana (worship of the Śiva-liṅga) is explicitly recommended as the श्रेष्ठ (best) practice.