Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

निवासो निश्चितः शंभोस्तथा गोकर्णमण्डले । नाग्निना न शशांकेन न ताराग्रहनायकैः

Transliteration

nivāso niścitaḥ śaṃbhostathā gokarṇamaṇḍale | nāgninā na śaśāṃkena na tārāgrahanāyakaiḥ

Translation

അങ്ങനെ ഗോകർണമണ്ഡലത്തിൽ ശംഭുവിന്റെ നിവാസം അചലമായി നിശ്ചിതമാണ്; അതിനെ അഗ്നിയും മാറ്റുകയില്ല, ചന്ദ്രനും മാറ്റുകയില്ല, നക്ഷത്ര-ഗ്രഹാധിപന്മാരും മാറ്റുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• निवासः: abode, residence
• निवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• निश्चितः: fixed, determined
• निश्चितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + चि (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (PPP; masc nom sg; 'determined/fixed')

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (masculine, genitive singular)

• तथा: thus, so
• तथा: Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable adverb; 'thus/so')

• गोकर्णमण्डले: in the Gokarṇa region/circle
• गोकर्णमण्डले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकर्ण + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अग्निना: by fire
• अग्निना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (masculine, instrumental singular)

• न: nor
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• शशांकेन: by the moon
• शशांकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (masculine, instrumental singular)

• न: nor
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• ताराग्रहनायकैः: by the leaders of stars and planets
• ताराग्रहनायकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा + ग्रह + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental plural)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice not identifiable from the isolated verse; likely Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gokarṇa-maṇḍala

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s invisible ‘seat’ established over Gokarṇa; personified Agni, Soma (Moon), and the Navagrahas appear as witnesses unable to alter the decree.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Gokarṇa
• Agni
• Śaśāṅka (Moon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s greatness is grounded in Śiva’s unshakable presence, transcending cosmic forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gokarṇa-maṇḍala—the sacred region of Gokarṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse asserts the permanence of Śiva’s abode as the basis of the site’s sanctity.