Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

शिवदीक्षाविधानेन लिंगपूजां समादिशत् । तेषामनुग्रहपरो मुनिः प्रमतवत्सलः । तीर्थादप्यधिकं स्थाने सतां साधुसमागमः

Transliteration

śivadīkṣāvidhānena liṃgapūjāṃ samādiśat | teṣāmanugrahaparo muniḥ pramatavatsalaḥ | tīrthādapyadhikaṃ sthāne satāṃ sādhusamāgamaḥ

Translation

Selon le rite juste de l’initiation à Śiva, le sage leur enseigna le culte du Liṅga. Soucieux de leur accorder sa grâce, ce muni—plein d’affection pour les serviteurs dévots—déclara : « En tout lieu, la rencontre des hommes de bien vaut plus encore qu’un tīrtha. »

Word by Word

• शिव-दीक्षा-विधानेन: by the procedure of Śiva-initiation
• शिव-दीक्षा-विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/करणे (instrumental)

• लिङ्ग-पूजाम्: worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• समादिशत्: instructed/ordained
• समादिशत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-दिś् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• अनुग्रह-परः: intent on favoring (them)
• अनुग्रह-परः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मुनिः’ विशेषणम्

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रमत-वत्सलः: affectionate to the devoted/attentive
• प्रमत-वत्सलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमत (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मुनिः’ विशेषणम्

• तीर्थात्: than a pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative of comparison/source)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• अधिकम्: greater
• अधिकम्: Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तुलनार्थे (comparative sense)

• स्थाने: in a place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘साधु-समागमः’ सम्बन्धः

• साधु-समागमः: the meeting with saints
• साधु-समागमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक) + समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘साधूनां समागमः’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; reporting Lomaśa’s instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sat-saṅga (Sādhu-goṣṭhī) as ‘living tīrtha’

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lomaśa instructs the newly accepted disciples in Śiva-dīkṣā and liṅga worship: a simple liṅga shrine, offerings (bilva leaves, water pot), the guru teaching mudrā/mantra; the disciples listen in devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-dīkṣā
• Śiva-liṅga
• Lomaśa
• Sādhus (sat)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest sanctity is not only in geography but in holy company; sadhu-saṅga can surpass even pilgrimage merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rather than naming a single tīrtha, the verse elevates sat-saṅga itself as a superior ‘living tīrtha’ in any location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-dīkṣā according to proper vidhi and the prescribed worship (pūjā) of the Śiva-liṅga.