Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

प्रतिष्ठाप्य महालिंगं गभस्तीश्वर संज्ञितम् । गौरीं च मंगला नाम्नीं भक्तमंगलदां सदा

Transliteration

pratiṣṭhāpya mahāliṃgaṃ gabhastīśvara saṃjñitam | gaurīṃ ca maṃgalā nāmnīṃ bhaktamaṃgaladāṃ sadā

Translation

‘ഗഭസ്തീശ്വര’ എന്ന നാമമുള്ള മഹാലിംഗം പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ച്, ‘മംഗളാ’ എന്ന നാമധാരിണിയായ ഗൗരിയെയും സ്ഥാപിച്ചു; അവൾ ഭക്തർക്കു നിത്യവും മംഗളം നൽകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having स्थापित/established
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति-स्था (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having established

• महा-लिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महा-लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (great + liṅga)

• गभस्तीश्वर: Gabhastīśvara (Lord of rays)
• गभस्तीश्वर: Samjna (Name/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गभस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-समर्थ (as name-stem); समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of rays)

• संज्ञितम्: named, called
• संज्ञितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → संज्ञित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; 'महालिङ्गम्' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• गौरीम्: Gaurī
• गौरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मङ्गलाम्: Maṅgalā (Auspicious one)
• मङ्गलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'गौरीम्' इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• नाम्नीम्: by the name (called)
• नाम्नीम्: Karma (Object/Complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'नाम्नी' रूपं (name/appellation)

• भक्त-मङ्गल-दाम्: giver of auspiciousness to devotees
• भक्त-मङ्गल-दाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (धातु) + णिनि/अच् (कृदन्त) → द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (भक्तानां मङ्गलं ददाति इति)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: नित्यत्ववाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gabhastīśvara (Liṅga) and Maṅgalā Gaurī at Pañcanada

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Surya, after tapas, installs a towering black stone liṅga labeled ‘Gabhastīśvara’; beside it stands Maṅgalā Gaurī, benevolent and radiant, granting boons to devotees at the river confluence.

Characters & Entities

• Gabhastīśvara Liṅga
• Gaurī
• Maṅgalā
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sites are consecrated through pratiṣṭhā; Śiva and Śakti are honored together as sources of auspiciousness for devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The locale associated with the Gabhastīśvara Liṅga and Gaurī as Maṅgalā (within the Mayūkha-Āditya narrative).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation/consecration) is referenced, along with honoring Gaurī (Devī worship).