Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तच्च स्थापयतो लिंगं शिवस्य शुभलक्षणम् । यथाग्निः सर्वदेवानां मुखं स्कन्द प्रकीर्त्यते

Transliteration

tacca sthāpayato liṃgaṃ śivasya śubhalakṣaṇam | yathāgniḥ sarvadevānāṃ mukhaṃ skanda prakīrtyate

Translation

ಶಿವನ ಶುಭಲಕ್ಷಣವಾದ ಲಿಂಗವನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸುವವನಿಗೂ ಅಂತಹ ಮಹಿಮೆ ಇದೆ; ಹೇ ಸ್ಕಂದ, ಅಗ್ನಿಯನ್ನು ಸರ್ವದೇವತೆಗಳ ‘ಮುಖ’ ಎಂದು ಕೀರ್ತಿಸಲಾಗುವಂತೆ.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• स्थापयतः: of the establisher
• स्थापयतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् → स्थापयत् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of the one who establishes’

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

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुभलक्षणम्: of auspicious mark/nature
• शुभलक्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘शुभं लक्षणं यस्य/यत्’)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as/just as’)

• अग्निः: Agni (fire)
• अग्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘सर्वे देवाः’) → ‘of all the gods’

• मुखम्: mouth; chief means
• मुखम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominative/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्कन्द: O Skanda
• स्कन्द: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• प्रकीर्त्यते: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्त्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘is proclaimed’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split symbolic tableau: on one side a Vedic fire receiving oblations; on the other a Śiva-liṅga receiving offerings—both depicted as luminous ‘mouths’ of divine reception; Skanda is addressed in the narration atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-liṅga
• Agni
• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The liṅga is presented as the primary sacred conduit for worship, analogous to Agni carrying offerings to the devas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is doctrinal, explaining liṅga’s ritual-theological status.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-sthāpana (installation) is praised; the analogy supports its centrality in worship.