Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

पिंडदानादिकं कृत्वा दत्त्वा दानानि भूरिशः । गुहेश्वरादिलिंगानि यत्नतः प्रतिपूज्य च

Transliteration

piṃḍadānādikaṃ kṛtvā dattvā dānāni bhūriśaḥ | guheśvarādiliṃgāni yatnataḥ pratipūjya ca

Translation

Après avoir accompli les rites commençant par les offrandes de piṇḍa et avoir fait d’abondantes aumônes, il rendit un culte attentif aux liṅga, tels Guheśvara et d’autres.

Word by Word

• पिण्डदानादिकम्: piṇḍa-offering etc. (rites beginning with piṇḍadāna)
• पिण्डदानादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड-दान-आदिक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (object)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having done’

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक; ‘having given’

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भूरिशः: abundantly, in great quantity
• भूरिशः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरिशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• गुहेश्वरादिलिङ्गानि: liṅgas such as (those of) Guheśvara etc.
• गुहेश्वरादिलिङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहेश्वर-आदि-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गुहेश्वरादीनि लिङ्गानि’

• यत्नतः: carefully, with effort
• यत्नतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• प्रतिपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• प्रतिपूज्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिपूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having duly worshipped’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa (narrator, implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guheśvara (and associated liṅga group)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-kingly figure completes piṇḍa offerings near water, distributes gifts to brāhmaṇas, then proceeds to a cluster of ancient liṅga shrines, offering flowers, bilva leaves, incense, and lamps with deliberate reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Piṇḍadāna
• Dāna
• Guheśvara-liṅga
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage bears fruit when joined with pitṛ-tarpaṇa (piṇḍadāna), generosity (dāna), and devoted worship of Śiva’s liṅgas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to a tīrtha-region containing Guheśvara and other liṅgas, indicating a liṅga-clustered sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍadāna and allied rites, abundant dāna (charity), and careful pūjā of Guheśvara and other Śiva-liṅgas.