Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

यावन्तो भूतिकणिका गात्रे लग्नाः शिवालये । तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि शिवलोके महीयते

Transliteration

yāvanto bhūtikaṇikā gātre lagnāḥ śivālaye | tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi śivaloke mahīyate

Translation

Autant de particules de cendre sacrée s’attachent au corps dans la demeure de Śiva, autant de milliers d’années il est honoré dans le monde de Śiva.

Word by Word

• यावन्तः: as many as
• यावन्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural (correlative adjective: as many as)

• भूतिकणिकाः: particles of sacred ash
• भूतिकणिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + कणिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Feminine, Nominative plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूतेः कणिकाः)

• गात्रे: on the body
• गात्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative singular

• लग्नाः: adhered, stuck
• लग्नाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लग् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Past passive participle used adjectivally, Masc. Nom. plural (stuck/adhered)

• शिवालये: in the temple/abode of Śiva
• शिवालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य आलयः)

• तावत्: so many, for that extent
• तावत्: Visheshana (Measure/परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter singular (correlative: so much/that many) used adverbially with measure

• वर्षसहस्राणि: thousands of years
• वर्षसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc. plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वर्षाणां सहस्राणि)

• शिवलोके: in Śiva’s world
• शिवलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लोके)

• महीयते: is honored, is exalted
• महीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present indicative, 3rd person singular (is honored/glorified)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (narādhipa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands before a Śiva-liṅga, body dusted with vibhūti; above, a symbolic vision of Śiva-loka where the devotee is honored for ‘thousands of years’ per ash-grain.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śivālaya
• Śivaloka
• Bhūti/Bhasma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External symbols of Śaiva devotion (bhasma) are linked with inner allegiance to Śiva and promised posthumous honor in Śivaloka.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Śivālaya context within the Bhūtīśvara tīrtha narrative—Śiva’s sacred precinct where bhasma is applied.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Applying sacred ash so that it clings to the body while in Śiva’s temple/holy place.