Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण कोटिलिंगार्चनफलम् । तस्मादिदं महाक्षेत्रं ब्रह्माद्यैः सेव्यते सदा

Transliteration

teṣāṃ darśanamātreṇa koṭiliṃgārcanaphalam | tasmādidaṃ mahākṣetraṃ brahmādyaiḥ sevyate sadā

Translation

Rien qu’en les contemplant, on obtient le fruit du culte rendu à un crore de liṅga. C’est pourquoi ce grand kṣetra sacré est sans cesse vénéré et servi même par Brahmā et les autres dieux.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive, Plural)

• दर्शनमात्रेण: by mere sight
• दर्शनमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular); तत्पुरुष (मात्र-समास: ‘by mere seeing’)

• कोटिलिङ्गार्चनफलम्: the fruit of worshipping a crore of liṅgas
• कोटिलिङ्गार्चनफलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय तत्पुरुष (फलम् = result of worship of a crore of liṅgas)

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्—हेतौ/तस्मादर्थे अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); अत्र विशेषणरूपेण

• महाक्षेत्रम्: the great sacred place
• महाक्षेत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); कर्मधारय (great sacred field)

• ब्रह्माद्यैः: by Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्माद्यैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); ब्रह्म-आदि (those beginning with Brahmā)

• सेव्यते: is served; is worshipped
• सेव्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Singular, Passive)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra liṅgas (Prabhāsa-sthāna liṅgāni)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant coastal kṣetra with multiple Śiva-liṅgas; pilgrims gain immense merit by mere sight; Brahmā and devas shown in perpetual service to the sacred region.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-darśana itself can confer immense merit, underscoring the extraordinary sanctity of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The liṅga-cluster within Prabhāsa Kṣetra (contextually the pañca-liṅga area connected to Bhallukā Tīrtha).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (reverent viewing/visitation) is emphasized as meritorious, equated to koṭi-liṅga arcana (worship).