Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। ऋषय ऊचुः । आश्चर्यं सूतपुत्रैतद्यत्त्वया परिकीर्तितम् । यत्स्थापितानि लिंगानि राक्षसैरपि वानरैः

Transliteration

| ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | āścaryaṃ sūtaputraitadyattvayā parikīrtitam | yatsthāpitāni liṃgāni rākṣasairapi vānaraiḥ

Translation

The sages said: O son of Sūta, wondrous indeed is what you have proclaimed—that liṅgas were established even by Rākṣasas and by Vānaras.

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• आश्चर्यम्: a wonder, astonishing (thing)
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक

• सूतपुत्र: O son of Sūta
• सूतपुत्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सूतस्य पुत्रः)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: that/which
• यत्: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धसूचक-अव्यय (relative particle)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परिकीर्तितम्: has been narrated
• परिकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicative/कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-कीर्त् (धातु) → परिकीर्तित (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘कथितम्’ अर्थे

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक

• स्थापितानि: were established
• स्थापितानि: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थापित (णिच् causative) + क्त (P.P.P.)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (Śiva-emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• राक्षसैः: by rākṣasas
• राक्षसैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• वानरैः: by monkeys (vānaras)
• वानरैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta (Sūtaputra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of sages addresses Sūta with astonishment; behind them, vignette-like scenes show Vānaras and Rākṣasas installing liṅgas in different locales—forest clearings, riverbanks, hilltops—signaling a map-like sacred geography.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Sūta
• Liṅga (Śiva-liṅga)
• Rākṣasas
• Vānaras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s sanctity can be affirmed through liṅga installation by diverse beings, highlighting the kṣetra’s universal sacred power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The inquiry concerns the local kṣetra described in Adhyāya 103, famed for multiple liṅgas installed by Rāmāyaṇa-era beings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation of Śiva-liṅgas) is referenced, prompting a detailed listing of places where they were established.