Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

कोऽलं पातयितुं लिंगं ममैतद्भुवनत्रये । देवो वा ब्राह्मणो वापि वेत्थ यूयमपि स्फुटम्

Transliteration

ko'laṃ pātayituṃ liṃgaṃ mamaitadbhuvanatraye | devo vā brāhmaṇo vāpi vettha yūyamapi sphuṭam

Translation

¿Quién, en los tres mundos, podría hacer caer este Liṅga mío—sea un dios o incluso un brāhmaṇa? Vosotros mismos lo sabéis con claridad.

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अलम्: able/fit (enough)
• अलम्: Sambandha/Prayojana (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शक्त्यर्थे/समर्थ्यर्थे (particle of ability/fitness)

• पातयितुम्: to cause to fall; to drop
• पातयितुम्: Karma (Object of ability/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → पातय्; तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); हेतुमर्थे (purpose)

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

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective)

• भुवनत्रये: in the three worlds
• भुवनत्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रयाणां भुवनानाम्)

• देवः: a god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• ब्राह्मणः: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• वेत्थ: you know
• वेत्थ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; रूपम्: वेत्थ (irregular present of √विद्)

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also)

• स्फुटम्: clearly
• स्फुटम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative); स्पष्टार्थे (clearly)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks with commanding certainty before assembled devas, indicating the liṅga’s immovability across the three worlds; the liṅga stands firm on earth, radiating austere power.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devāḥ
• Brāhmaṇa
• Liṅga
• Bhuvana-traya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Liṅga signifies the unshakable foundation of Śiva-tattva; true sacred reality is not overthrown by worldly forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is glorified through the claim of the Liṅga’s inviolability—supporting the sanctity of its place of manifestation in Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse strengthens faith (śraddhā) in Liṅga worship and its protective power.