Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

सर्वेषां शिवलिंगानां सार्वभौमो महाबलः । कृते महाबलः श्वेतस्त्रेतायामतिलोहितः

Transliteration

sarveṣāṃ śivaliṃgānāṃ sārvabhaumo mahābalaḥ | kṛte mahābalaḥ śvetastretāyāmatilohitaḥ

Translation

എല്ലാ ശിവലിംഗങ്ങളിലുമെല്ലാം മഹാബലമാണ് സർവ്വഭൗമനും മഹാശക്തിമാനും. കൃതയുഗത്തിൽ അത് ശ്വേതവർണ്ണം; ത്രേതായുഗത്തിൽ അത്യന്തം ലോഹിതവർണ്ണം ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्व-शब्दः (genitive plural)

• शिवलिङ्गानाम्: of Śiva-liṅgas
• शिवलिङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक); शिव + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य लिङ्गम्)

• सार्वभौमः: universal, sovereign
• सार्वभौमः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्वभौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक); महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् बलं यस्य/महाबलः)

• कृते: in the Kṛta (age)
• कृते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; (कृतयुगे) locative singular

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक); महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• श्वेतः: white
• श्वेतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• त्रेतायाम्: in the Tretā (age)
• त्रेतायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अतिलोहितः: very red
• अतिलोहितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिलोहित (प्रातिपदिक); अति (अव्यय) + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तं लोहितः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gokarṇa—Mahābala-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Mahābala-liṅga enthroned, radiating a yuga-shifting aura—cool white luminosity (Kṛta) transitioning to deep vermilion-red (Tretā), with sages in reverent circumambulation and ocean-breeze hints of Gokarṇa’s coast.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-liṅga
• Mahābala
• Kṛta Yuga
• Tretā Yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It establishes Mahābala as a preeminent Śiva-liṅga and frames its sanctity as timeless across the yugas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gokarṇa, where the Mahābala liṅga is revered in this Brahmottarakhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse functions as liṅga-māhātmya (praise/identification).