Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अष्टादश सहस्राणि ऋषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम् । तस्मिंल्लिंगे तु सिद्धानि सिद्धेश्वरमतः स्मृतम्

Transliteration

aṣṭādaśa sahasrāṇi ṛṣīṇāmūrdhvaretasām | tasmiṃlliṃge tu siddhāni siddheśvaramataḥ smṛtam

Translation

Dix-huit mille sages, d’ardeur spirituelle élevée, obtinrent l’accomplissement auprès de ce liṅga ; c’est pourquoi on s’en souvient sous le nom de Siddheśvara.

Word by Word

• aṣṭādaśa: eighteen
• aṣṭādaśa: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭā-daśa (संख्याशब्द; अष्ट + दश)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• sahasrāṇi: thousands
• sahasrāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• ṛṣīṇām: of sages
• ṛṣīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• ūrdhvaretasām: of those with upward semen (celibate/continent)
• ūrdhvaretasām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva-retas (प्रातिपदिक; ऊर्ध्व + रेतस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive plural); विशेषण (to ṛṣīṇām)

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative singular)

• liṅge: in the liṅga
• liṅge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative singular)

• tu: indeed; and
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध (particle: but/indeed)

• siddhāni: were accomplished; became fulfilled
• siddhāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sidh (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (things) accomplished/fulfilled

• siddheśvaram: (it is) Siddheśvara
• siddheśvaram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (नामरूपेण); प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular) (as name of liṅga)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (therefore)

• smṛtam: is remembered/called
• smṛtam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is called/remembered’

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddheśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as Deveśī/Mahādevī in adjacent verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Śiva-liṅga at Prabhāsa, encircled by multitudes of ascetic sages with matted hair and uplifted gaze, their tapas ‘ripening’ into siddhi; subtle aura of completion and stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Siddheśvara
• Śiva-liṅga
• Ṛṣis (18,000)
• Siddhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha gains its fame through realized beings; sustained ascetic purity and devotion at a Śiva-liṅga are portrayed as leading to siddhi.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Siddheśvara liṅga-site in Prabhāsakṣetra, famed for granting siddhi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is listed here; the verse explains the etymological fame of the site based on sages attaining siddhi.