Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा विश्वकर्माणमाहूय प्राह पावकिः । त्रीणि लिंगानि शुद्धानि शीघ्रं त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

ityuktvā viśvakarmāṇamāhūya prāha pāvakiḥ | trīṇi liṃgāni śuddhāni śīghraṃ tvaṃ kartumarhasi

Translation

Après avoir ainsi parlé, Pāvaki fit venir Viśvakarman et dit : «Tu dois façonner sans tarder trois Liṅgas purs.»

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); √वच् (to speak)

• viśvakarmāṇam: Viśvakarman
• viśvakarmāṇam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvakarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• āhūya: having summoned
• āhūya: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√hū (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive); आहूय = आह्वाय; √हू (to call) with उपसर्ग आ-

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन (3rd sg)

• pāvakiḥ: Pāvakī (Agni’s consort / a goddess)
• pāvakiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• trīṇi: three
• trīṇi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Nom/Acc Pl)

• liṃgāni: liṅgas (emblems)
• liṃgāni: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Accusative Plural)

• śuddhāni: pure
• śuddhāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (agreeing with liṅgāni)

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; मध्यम-पुरुष; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• kartum: to make
• kartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); √कृ (to do/make)

• arhasi: you ought / are fit
• arhasi: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन (2nd sg)

Speaker

Narrator (within the passage), quoting Pāvaki (Agni)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pāvaki (Agni) summons Viśvakarman and commands the swift crafting of three immaculate liṅgas; the atmosphere is workshop-sacred, with firelight and divine tools.

Characters & Entities

• Pāvaki (Agni)
• Viśvakarman
• Śiva (Liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred worship is supported by sacred making—purity of the icon and purity of intention together uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse prepares for three site-installations; the specific sites are indicated in the surrounding verses as distinct locations tied to key events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Commissioning and preparing “pure” liṅgas for consecration (pratiṣṭhā) as part of establishing a holy complex.