Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

द्वितीयं यत्र निःसत्त्वसत्यक्तः शक्त्याऽसुरोऽभवत् । तृतीयं यत्र निहतो हत्या पापोपशांतिदम्

Transliteration

dvitīyaṃ yatra niḥsattvasatyaktaḥ śaktyā'suro'bhavat | tṛtīyaṃ yatra nihato hatyā pāpopaśāṃtidam

Translation

“Liṅga kedua (akan ada) di tempat Asura, yang kehilangan kekuatan sejatinya, dijatuhkan oleh Śakti. Liṅga ketiga (akan ada) di tempat ia dibunuh—yang menganugerahkan penenteraman dosa pembunuhan dan keburukan lainnya.”

Word by Word

• द्वितीयम्: the second (place/instance)
• द्वितीयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रमसंख्या (second item)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (where)

• निःसत्त्वः: devoid of strength
• निःसत्त्वः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis (उपसर्ग/निपात) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण; निः- उपसर्गयुक्त (without strength/essence)

• सत्यक्तः: abandoned/renounced
• सत्यक्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग) + √त्यज् (धातु) → tyakta (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (abandoned/renounced)

• शक्त्या: by (the) शक्ति/weapon
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• असुरः: the demon
• असुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तृतीयम्: the third (place/instance)
• तृतीयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रमसंख्या (third item)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (where)

• निहतः: slain
• निहतः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√हन् (धातु) → nihata (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘असुरः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• हत्या: killing (sin of हत्या)
• हत्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hatyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापोपशान्तिदम्: giving cessation of sin
• पापोपशान्तिदम्: Karta (Predicate/Complement/कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + upaśānti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक; द-प्रत्ययान्त ‘giving’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पापस्य उपशान्तिं ददाति = that which gives cessation of sin)

Speaker

Pāvaki (Agni)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śakti-nipātana-sthāna Liṅga; Vadha-sthāna Liṅga (hatyā-pāpa-upaśānti-da)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaṅkara (in dialogue frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two additional liṅgas are promised: one at the spot where Śakti cast down the weakened Asura, and one at the slaying spot that pacifies hatyā-pāpa. Show Śakti’s decisive act and then a tranquil shrine marking expiation.

Characters & Entities

• Śakti
• Asura
• Śiva (Liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places linked to divine acts become centers of expiation, even for grave faults like hatyā-doṣa, through Śiva-oriented devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Two distinct event-sites are praised: where Śakti overcame the Asura, and where the final slaying occurred; the proper names appear later/elsewhere in the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is worship at the third Liṅga-site for pāpa-upaśānti, specifically the quelling of hatyā-related sin.