Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तस्य सीदति तद्राष्ट्रं दुर्भिक्षव्याधितस्करैः । संभूय स्थापयिष्यामो लिंगमेकं ततः शुभम्

Transliteration

tasya sīdati tadrāṣṭraṃ durbhikṣavyādhitaskaraiḥ | saṃbhūya sthāpayiṣyāmo liṃgamekaṃ tataḥ śubham

Translation

Alors ce royaume décline, accablé par la famine, la maladie et les voleurs. C’est pourquoi, réunis ensemble, nous établirons un liṅga unique et de bon augure.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• सीदति: sinks/declines; suffers
• सीदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तद्राष्ट्रम्: that kingdom
• तद्राष्ट्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: तत् राष्ट्रम् (neut. nom. sg. as subject)

• दुर्भिक्षव्याधितस्करैः: by famine, disease, and thieves
• दुर्भिक्षव्याधितस्करैः: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भिक्ष + व्याधि + तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (instr. pl.)

• संभूय: having assembled together
• संभूय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): सम्-भूय = 'having come together'

• स्थापयिष्यामः: we will establish/install
• स्थापयिष्यामः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (स्थापय)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गम्: a liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (neut. acc. sg.)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Temporal/Sequential (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त; क्रम/अनन्तर्ये (adverb: then/thereafter; from that)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating the resolve of the devas (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī-taṭa / Mahīsāgara-saṅgama (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A decisive communal consecration: after warning of famine, disease, and thieves, the assembly unites to install one auspicious liṅga, with kalaśa abhiṣeka and protective rites for the realm.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Śiva (implied via liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma declines, restoring Śiva-worship through liṅga-pratiṣṭhā re-establishes auspiciousness and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the act that will create/mark a sacred spot; the specific liṅga-name appears later as Siddheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A communal liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation of a Śiva-liṅga) is prescribed as a remedy for societal calamities.