Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

मुखलिंगं ततस्तत्र स्थापयामास शूलिनः । तथान्यैर्वानरैः सर्वैमुखलिंगानि शूलिनः । स्वसंज्ञार्थं द्विजश्रेष्ठाः स्थापितानि यथेच्छया

Transliteration

mukhaliṃgaṃ tatastatra sthāpayāmāsa śūlinaḥ | tathānyairvānaraiḥ sarvaimukhaliṃgāni śūlinaḥ | svasaṃjñārthaṃ dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ sthāpitāni yathecchayā

Translation

Then, in that place, a Mukha-liṅga of the Trident-bearing Lord (Śiva) was installed. Likewise, all the other Vānaras installed Mukha-liṅgas of Śūlin—O best of the twice-born—according to their wish, to commemorate their own distinctive names.

Word by Word

• मुखलिङ्गम्: a mukha-liṅga (face-marked liṅga)
• मुखलिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मुखस्य लिङ्गम्)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (then/from there)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• स्थापयामास: installed, set up
• स्थापयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त—‘caused to be placed/installed’

• शूलिनः: of Śūlin (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise/also)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘वानरैः’)

• वानरैः: by monkeys
• वानरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘वानरैः’)

• मुखलिङ्गानि: mukha-liṅgas
• मुखलिङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष

• शूलिनः: of Śūlin (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वसंज्ञार्थम्: for their own identification/name
• स्वसंज्ञार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + संज्ञा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य संज्ञायाः अर्थम् = for one’s own name/identification)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense in context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः)

• स्थापितानि: were installed
• स्थापितानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग—‘were installed’

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (as/according to)

• इच्छया: by (their) wish
• इच्छया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mukha-liṅga-sthāna (cluster within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dwijas/ṛṣis (addressed as dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sugrīva installs a Mukha-liṅga of Śiva; other vānaras install their own Mukha-liṅgas, each as a named memorial, in a sacred clearing with ritual implements.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śūlin)
• Vānaras
• Mukha-liṅga
• Dvijas (addressed as audience)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expresses itself by establishing sacred markers (liṅgas), turning a landscape into a living map of remembrance and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kṣetra of Adhyāya 103 is praised as a place where multiple Mukha-liṅgas of Śiva were installed, sacralizing the terrain.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā is described—installing Mukha-liṅgas of Śiva, often with a commemorative intent (svasaṃjñārtha).