Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

स दृष्ट्वा शिवमाहात्म्यं श्रद्धां कृत्वा नृपोत्तम । शिवं संस्थापयामास पर्वतेऽर्बुदसंज्ञिते

Transliteration

sa dṛṣṭvā śivamāhātmyaṃ śraddhāṃ kṛtvā nṛpottama | śivaṃ saṃsthāpayāmāsa parvate'rbudasaṃjñite

Translation

Voyant la grandeur de Śiva, le meilleur des rois conçut la foi; et il établit Śiva (un sanctuaire/linga) sur la montagne appelée Arbuda.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• शिव-माहात्म्यम्: the greatness/glory of Śiva
• शिव-माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘शिवस्य माहात्म्यम्’

• श्रद्धाम्: faith, devotion
• श्रद्धाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/placed (faith)
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• नृप-उत्तम: O best of kings
• नृप-उत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘उत्तमः नृपः’

• शिवम्: Śiva (image/linga)
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• संस्थापयामास: installed, established
• संस्थापयामास: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) [णिच् causative: स्थापयति]
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘caused to be established/installed’

• पर्वते: on the mountain
• पर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अर्बुद-संज्ञिते: named ‘Arbuda’
• अर्बुद-संज्ञिते: Adhikarana (Qualifier of location/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अर्बुदेन संज्ञितः’ = named Arbuda; विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘पर्वते’

Speaker

Narrator (addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-Śiva (installed Śiva at Arbuda)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa / mahārāja

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devout king, inspired by witnessing Śiva’s greatness, performs Śiva-sthāpanā on Arbuda mountain—priests, ritual vessels, and a newly installed liṅga/shrine against a mountainous backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Arbuda (mountain)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Witnessing Śiva’s māhātmya gives rise to śraddhā, which expresses itself through establishing and honoring Śiva in a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arbuda-parvata (Mount Arbuda) is explicitly highlighted as the place where Śiva is established.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-saṃsthāpana (establishing Śiva/Śiva-liṅga) is indicated as a meritorious act rooted in faith.