Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

एते हि राक्षसाः श्रेष्ठा शिवार्चनरताः सदा । लिंगमभ्यर्च्य च सदा सिद्धिं प्राप्ताः पुरा तु ते

Transliteration

ete hi rākṣasāḥ śreṣṭhā śivārcanaratāḥ sadā | liṃgamabhyarcya ca sadā siddhiṃ prāptāḥ purā tu te

Translation

For these were the foremost among the Rākṣasas, ever devoted to the worship of Śiva. Having continually adored the Liṅga, they attained spiritual accomplishment in former times.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Emphasis/Reason marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/causal)

• राक्षसाः: rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• श्रेष्ठाः: excellent, best
• श्रेष्ठाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (राक्षसाः)

• शिवार्चनरताः: devoted to worship of Śiva
• शिवार्चनरताः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + अर्चन + रत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य अर्चनम् → शिवार्चन; शिवार्चने रताः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

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

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having worshipped’

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• सिद्धिम्: success, attainment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्ताः: attained/obtained
• प्राप्ताः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-विशेषण (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (ते) ‘having attained’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context deduction

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-liṅga (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rākṣasa leaders, now softened by devotion, circle a liṅga with offerings; a subtle aura indicates ‘siddhi’—light rising from the liṅga into their crowns.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Liṅga
• Rākṣasas
• Siddhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady liṅga-worship (śivārcana) yields siddhi; devotion, when continuous, transforms even the most formidable into accomplished worshippers.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s Śaiva sphere, where liṅga-worship is upheld as a source of spiritual attainment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular worship of the Śiva-liṅga (liṅgam abhyarcya sadā) is the implied sādhana.