Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 152

Devanagari script

काशजं वसवो लिंगं स्वयंभुमिति नाम च । त्रिलोहं मातरो लिंगं नाम भूतेशमेव च

Transliteration

kāśajaṃ vasavo liṃgaṃ svayaṃbhumiti nāma ca | trilohaṃ mātaro liṃgaṃ nāma bhūteśameva ca

Translation

Para Vasu memuja Liṅga dari rumput kāśa dan menyebutnya ‘Svayaṃbhu’, Yang Menjelma dengan sendirinya. Para Mātṛkā memuja Liṅga dari tiga logam dan menamainya ‘Bhūteśa’, Penguasa segala makhluk.

Word by Word

• काशजम्: made of kāśa (a metal/material)
• काशजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काश + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; (काशात् जातम् = made of kāśa/bronze-like metal as per context)

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्भुम्: Svayambhū (self-born)
• स्वयम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् + भू (धातु) → स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (स्वयम्+भू = self-existent)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसमाप्त्यर्थक

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/labeling)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• त्रिलोहम्: three-metalled (triloha)
• त्रिलोहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि लोहानि यस्मिन्/त्रिभिः लोहेभिः निर्मितम्)

• मातरः: the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/labeling)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक

• भूतेशम्: Bhūteśa (lord of beings)
• भूतेशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् ईशः = lord of beings)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default attribution

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasus offer simple kāśa-grass garlands to a humble grass-formed liṅga marked ‘Svayaṃbhu’; nearby, the Mātṛkās—powerful mother-goddesses—circle a tri-metal liṅga, radiating protective energy, naming it Bhūteśa; the scene blends austerity with fierce guardianship.

Characters & Entities

• Vasus
• Mātṛkās (Mothers)
• Śiva
• Svayaṃbhu
• Bhūteśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s self-manifest nature (Svayaṃbhu) and sovereignty over all beings (Bhūteśa) are honored through diverse, dharmic modes of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular locality is specified; the verse presents a pan-Purāṇic catalogue of revered liṅga-forms and divine worshippers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-upāsanā accompanied by nāma (invocation): worship with the names ‘Svayaṃbhu’ and ‘Bhūteśa’.