Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

मुनय ऊचुः । अवश्यं यदि दातव्यो वरोऽस्माकं महेश्वर । एकं कोटिमयं लिंगं क्रियतां वृषभध्वज

Transliteration

munaya ūcuḥ | avaśyaṃ yadi dātavyo varo'smākaṃ maheśvara | ekaṃ koṭimayaṃ liṃgaṃ kriyatāṃ vṛṣabhadhvaja

Translation

The sages said: “If a boon must indeed be granted to us, O Maheśvara, then, O Bull-bannered Lord, let a single liṅga be made that is equal to a koṭi (a crore) of liṅgas.”

Word by Word

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

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

• avaśyam: certainly, necessarily
• avaśyam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-समुच्चय (conditional particle)

• dātavyaḥ: to be given
• dātavyaḥ: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• varaḥ: a boon
• varaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• asmākam: of us, our
• asmākam: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• maheśvara: O Maheshvara (Great Lord)
• maheśvara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• ekam: one
• ekam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• koṭimayam: consisting of crores
• koṭimayam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṭi + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (made of/consisting of crores)

• liṅgam: liṅga (emblem)
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kriyatām: let it be made
• kriyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: 'let it be made')

• vṛṣabhadhvaja: O Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• vṛṣabhadhvaja: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣis (assembled sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭiliṅga (requested)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śrī Mahādeva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sages request a wondrous single liṅga whose potency equals a crore of liṅgas; Śiva listens, bull-banner visible, suggesting assent to a grand consecration.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva)
• Koṭimaya Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotees seek a lasting sacred form (liṅga) that concentrates vast merit for the welfare of many.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The place in Arbuda where the sages request establishment of a Koṭimaya (Koṭiliṅga) liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The request implies pratimā/liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (establishment of a sacred emblem), though details are not given in this verse.