Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake

Devanagari script

उत्तरे तस्य सरसस्तीरे कल्पतरोरधः । वेद्यां वज्रशिलामय्यां मृदुले मृगचर्मणि

Transliteration

uttare tasya sarasastīre kalpataroradhaḥ | vedyāṃ vajraśilāmayyāṃ mṛdule mṛgacarmaṇi

Translation

Au nord, sur la rive de ce lac, sous l’arbre kalpataru exauçant les vœux, sur un autel de pierre dure comme le vajra, et sur une douce peau de daim—(il doit s’asseoir / être assis là).

Word by Word

• uttare: on the northern side
• uttare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक—‘(स्थाने) उत्तरे’

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धः

• sarasaḥ: of the lake
• sarasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘सरसः तीरे’ = lake’s bank

• tīre: on the bank
• tīre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• kalpataroḥ: of the wish-fulfilling tree
• kalpataroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpataru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• adhaḥ: below
• adhaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—देशवाचक (adverb of place: below)

• vedyām: on the altar/platform
• vedyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• vajra-śilā-mayyām: made of hard stone (vajra-like rock)
• vajra-śilā-mayyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + śilā (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘vedyām’ इत्यस्य; -mayī = ‘made of’

• mṛdule: soft
• mṛdule: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛdula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘mṛgacarmaṇi’ इत्यस्य

• mṛga-carmaṇi: on a deerskin
• mṛga-carmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + carman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘मृगस्य चर्म’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is a dhyāna/āsana-setting instruction (north of the lake, under a kalpataru, on a vajra-śilā vedī, on mṛga-carma). It reads as a generalized sacred-topography prescription rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Encodes a meditative ‘kṣetra within the kṣetra’: northward orientation (uttara) and stable seat (vajra-śilā, mṛga-carma) support steadiness for japa/dhyāna aimed at Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It emphasizes outer purity and inner steadiness: selecting a sacred, sattvic spot and a stable seat supports focused dhyāna and japa, helping the bound soul (paśu) turn toward the Lord (Pati) and loosen the bonds (pāśa).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The verse describes the disciplined setup for worship and meditation—conditions traditionally used before Linga-pūjā, Panchākṣarī japa, and contemplation of Saguna Shiva, so the mind can rest steadily on Shiva’s form and presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a clean, stable altar-like base and sit on a soft deerskin for steady posture, then perform Shiva japa (especially the Panchākṣarī) and dhyāna with a composed body and concentrated mind.