Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

महल्लिंगं प्रतिष्ठाप्य शांभवं भूरिभावनः । अयुतं शरदां दिव्यं दिव्यतेजा महातपाः

Transliteration

mahalliṃgaṃ pratiṣṭhāpya śāṃbhavaṃ bhūribhāvanaḥ | ayutaṃ śaradāṃ divyaṃ divyatejā mahātapāḥ

Translation

神々しい光輝に満ちた大苦行者にして大いなる施与者は、偉大なるシャンブ（Śaṃbhu）のリンガを安置し、天上の一万の秋のあいだ、激しい苦行を修した。

Word by Word

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘महल्लिङ्गम्’ इत्यत्र पूर्वपद (sandhi-resolved)

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

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘प्रतिष्ठाप्य’ = having स्थापित/installed

• शाम्भवम्: pertaining to Śiva
• शाम्भवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of Śambhu/Śiva)

• भूरिभावनः: greatly devout / greatly beneficent
• भूरिभावनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि + भावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भूरिः भावनः’ (greatly pious/one who causes much good; or one of great devotion)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Karma (Object/Measure/कर्म-परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten-thousand)

• शरदाम्: of years/autumns
• शरदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying duration/ayutam)

• दिव्यतेजाः: of divine radiance
• दिव्यतेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दिव्यं तेजः यस्य’ (of divine splendor)

• महातपाः: great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘महत्तपाः’ (great ascetic)

Speaker

Śiva’s Gaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śāmbhava Mahāliṅga (as established by Āṅgirasa)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Grand consecration scene: Āṅgirasa installing a large Śiva-liṅga in Kāśī, with offerings, water pots, Vedic chanting; followed by a time-lapse feel of prolonged autumnal tapas, aura of divine radiance around the ascetic and liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Āṅgirasa
• Śiva (Śaṃbhu)
• Śiva-liṅga
• Kāśī (implied by continuity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecration of a Śiva-liṅga and sustained tapas are presented as powerful means of welfare and spiritual radiance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative setting (from the preceding verse), implying the liṅga-installation and tapas occur in the sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation/consecration of a Śiva-liṅga) and prolonged tapas are mentioned.