Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

धनुषोंतरमानेन नातिदूरे व्यवस्थितम् । लिंगं महाप्रभावं हि सर्वपातकनाशनम्

Transliteration

dhanuṣoṃtaramānena nātidūre vyavasthitam | liṃgaṃ mahāprabhāvaṃ hi sarvapātakanāśanam

Translation

धनुष-प्रमाण की दूरी पर, वह अधिक दूर नहीं स्थित है। वह लिंग महाप्रभावशाली है और समस्त पापों का नाश करने वाला है।

Word by Word

• धनुषः: of a bow
• धनुषः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — “of a bow”

• अन्तर: interval, distance
• अन्तर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — “distance/interval” (in compound sense)

• मानेन: by measure
• मानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — “by measure”

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अतिदूरे: (in a place) very far
• अतिदूरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिदूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — “in/at (a place) not very far” (with न)

• व्यवस्थितम्: situated
• व्यवस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — “placed/situated”

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — “liṅga (Śiva-emblem)”

• महाप्रभावम्: of great power
• महाप्रभावम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक: महा + प्रभाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — “of great power”

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• सर्वपातकनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपातकनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वपातकनाशन (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + पातक + नाशन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — “destroyer of all sins”

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ketuliṅga

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands before Ketuliṅga, which radiates power; the path between shrines is short—suggested by an archer’s bow laid down as a symbolic measure.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Ketuliṅga (implied)
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a sacred Liṅga in a tīrtha is presented as a direct means of purification from pātakas (sins).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ketuliṅga in Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Visiting/approaching the Liṅga; no separate rite is specified in this verse.