Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सिक्थसंख्यं शिवे लोके स वसेत्कालमीप्सितम् । श्रीफलैः पूरयेल्लिङ्गं निःस्वो भूत्वा भवस्य तु

Transliteration

sikthasaṃkhyaṃ śive loke sa vasetkālamīpsitam | śrīphalaiḥ pūrayelliṅgaṃ niḥsvo bhūtvā bhavasya tu

Translation

അവൻ ശിവലോകത്തിൽ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച കാലം വരെ വസിക്കും—മെഴുകുതുള്ളികളുടെ എണ്ണത്തിൽ അളന്നതുപോലെ. ദരിദ്രനായാലും ഭവന്റെ ലിംഗം തേങ്ങകളാൽ നിറച്ച് പൂജിക്കുന്നവനും അതേ ഫലം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सिक्थसंख्यम्: (for a) wax-measure (duration)
• सिक्थसंख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिक्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सिक्थस्य संख्या इव/प्रमाणम्)

• शिवे: in Śiva’s
• शिवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (used with लोके)

• लोके: world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसेत्: would dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईप्सितम्: desired
• ईप्सितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/ईप्स् ‘to desire’ से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• श्रीफलैः: with coconuts
• श्रीफलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पूरयेत्: should fill
• पूरयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूर् (धातु; causative sense ‘to fill’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

• निःस्वः: poor
• निःस्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• भवस्य: of Bhava (Śiva)
• भवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक; शिव-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोध-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Āvantya Khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poor devotee presents coconuts before a Śiva-liṅga; above, a luminous vision of Śiva-loka with celestial lamps and a gentle rain of wax-like droplets symbolizing time/merit.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-loka
• Bhava (Śiva)
• Liṅga
• Śrīphala (coconut)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is not limited by wealth; even simple offerings made with faith are said to yield residence in Śiva’s realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing praise pertains to Saṅgameśvara at the sacred confluence in the Revā (Narmadā) region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering coconuts (śrīphala) in abundance to the Śiva-liṅga, even by one who is poor.