Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 171

Devanagari script

कुमारलिंगादुत्थाय प्रत्यक्षस्तामवोचत । भद्रे तवाहं भक्त्या च विज्ञानेन च तोषितः

Transliteration

kumāraliṃgādutthāya pratyakṣastāmavocata | bhadre tavāhaṃ bhaktyā ca vijñānena ca toṣitaḥ

Translation

ಕುಮಾರಲಿಂಗದಿಂದ ಉದ್ಭವಿಸಿ ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷನಾಗಿ (ಶಿವನು) ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದರು— ‘ಭದ್ರೇ, ನಿನ್ನ ಭಕ್ತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಜ್ಞಾನದಿಂದ ನಾನು ತೃಪ್ತನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ.’

Word by Word

• kumāraliṅgāt: from the Kumāra-liṅga
• kumāraliṅgāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ("Kumāra-liṅga"), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• utthāya: having arisen
• utthāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): "having arisen"

• pratyakṣaḥ: manifest/visible
• pratyakṣaḥ: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tām: to her
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• avocata: spoke/said
• avocata: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhadre: O auspicious lady
• bhadre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhaktyā: by devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• vijñānena: by knowledge/understanding
• vijñānena: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• toṣitaḥ: pleased/satisfied
• toṣitaḥ: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: toṣita (कृदन्त; √tuṣ/तुष्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śiva (Mahādeva), speaking directly after manifesting

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kumāra-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the liṅga, Śiva rises in luminous form, facing the devotee; his gesture is reassuring, his words praising her devotion and understanding; lamps flare as the sanctum fills with radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra-liṅga
• Śiva/Mahādeva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti joined with right understanding (vijñāna) culminates in divine revelation—Śiva grants pratyakṣa darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kumāra-liṅga is highlighted as a powerful locus where Śiva manifests.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, liṅga-pūjā and sustained devotion; the verse itself records the fruit—darśana.