Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 101
ईशानवक्त्रं प्रणमामि त्वाहं स्तौति श्रुतिः सर्वविद्येश्वरस्त्वम् । भूतेश्वरस्त्वं प्रपितामहस्त्वं तस्मै नमस्तेस्तु महेश्वराय
īśānavaktraṃ praṇamāmi tvāhaṃ stauti śrutiḥ sarvavidyeśvarastvam | bhūteśvarastvaṃ prapitāmahastvaṃ tasmai namastestu maheśvarāya
ನಾನು ನಿನ್ನ ಈಶಾನ ಮುಖಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರಣಾಮ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಶ್ರುತಿ—ವೇದವೇ ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ಸ್ತುತಿಸುತ್ತದೆ; ನೀನು ಸರ್ವವಿದ್ಯೆಗಳ ಈಶ್ವರ, ಭೂತೇಶ್ವರ, ಆದ್ಯ ಪಿತಾಮಹ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಹೇ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರ, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರವಾಗಲಿ.
A dvija devotee (as implied by the immediate narrative context)
Tirtha: Mahākāla / Maheśvara (liṅga)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Maheśvara/Śiva (addressed)
Scene: The devotee salutes the Īśāna face of Śiva—suggested as a subtle, serene visage above/behind the liṅga—while Vedic sages appear as embodiments of Śruti, offering praise-scrolls and chanting.
FAQs
All knowledge and all beings find their sovereign in Śiva; reverence to the Īśāna aspect aligns the devotee with the highest authority of dharma and wisdom.
No single tirtha is named; the verse functions as a doctrinal praise within the chapter’s sacred setting.
The practice implied is praṇāma (prostration) and Veda-grounded praise (stuti).