Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

स्पर्शलिंगं हि तद्विद्धि तद्भक्त्या ज्ञास्यते भवान् । तत्र संनिहितो देवः शंकरः परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

sparśaliṃgaṃ hi tadviddhi tadbhaktyā jñāsyate bhavān | tatra saṃnihito devaḥ śaṃkaraḥ parameśvaraḥ

Translation

Know that this is the “Sparśa-liṅga” (the Liṅga realized by sacred touch). Through devotion to it, you yourself shall truly understand; for there the God Śaṅkara, the Supreme Lord (Parameśvara), abides in fullness.

Word by Word

• स्पर्शलिङ्गम्: the ‘touch-linga’ (linga known by touch)
• स्पर्शलिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/assurance)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• विद्धि: know (it)
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु) (जानने)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (neuter, genitive singular)

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, instrumental singular)

• ज्ञास्यते: will be known/realized
• ज्ञास्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + स्य (भविष्यत्)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (future, 3rd person singular, ātmanepada; passive/impersonal sense: 'will be known')

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थ सर्वनाम (masculine, nominative singular; honorific 'you')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• संनिहितः: present/nearby
• संनिहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + नि + √धा/√धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (masculine nominative singular; 'present/placed')

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (masculine nominative singular; 'supreme lord')

Speaker

Dakṣa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sparśa-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Soma

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee approaches the small radiant liṅga and reverently touches it; the aura expands, suggesting Śaṅkara’s immediate presence, while Dakṣa looks on approvingly.

Characters & Entities

• Sparśaliṅga
• Śaṅkara
• Parameśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is the means of truly ‘knowing’ a tīrtha-deity; the Lord is not merely symbolized but said to be actually present at the sacred locus.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sparśaliṅga at Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where Śaṅkara is declared to be especially present.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, worship/devotion to the Sparśaliṅga (including reverent touch where appropriate by custom) as the means to realization.