Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अयनद्वयभिन्नेन गमनेनापि संयुतः । न लंघयिष्यति रविः शृंगं लिंगतनोस्तव

Transliteration

ayanadvayabhinnena gamanenāpi saṃyutaḥ | na laṃghayiṣyati raviḥ śṛṃgaṃ liṃgatanostava

Translation

ഉത്തരായനം, ദക്ഷിണായനം എന്നീ രണ്ട് അയനങ്ങളിലൂടെ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന സൂര്യൻ പോലും, ലിംഗരൂപത്തിലുള്ള അങ്ങയുടെ ശരീരത്തിന്റെ കൊടുമുടിയെ മറികടക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• अयनद्वयभिन्नेन: by (a course) divided into two solsticial paths
• अयनद्वयभिन्नेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयन + द्वय + भिन्न (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (neuter, instrumental, singular); विशेषणम्—गमनेन प्रति; समासः—‘अयनद्वयेन भिन्नः’

• गमनेन: by movement/going
• गमनेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (neuter, instrumental, singular)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle)

• संयुतः: endowed/connected
• संयुतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+युज् (धातु) → संयुत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (masculine, nominative, singular); भूतकृदन्तः; विशेषणम्—रविः प्रति

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• लङ्घयिष्यति: will cross/leap over
• लङ्घयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (simple future), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• रविः: the Sun
• रविः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (masculine, nominative, singular)

• शृङ्गम्: peak/summit
• शृङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (neuter, accusative, singular)

• लिङ्गतनोः: of your liṅga-form body
• लिङ्गतनोः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + तनु (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (feminine, genitive, singular); ‘लिङ्गरूपा तनुः’

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (genitive, singular)

Speaker

Kamalānātha (Brahmā) (deduced from immediate context leading to shloka 41)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aruṇācala

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Sun arcs across the sky in two seasonal tracks, yet Arunācala rises as an immeasurable liṅga-mountain whose peak seems to touch the heavens; rays halt in reverence, suggesting cosmic submission to Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s reality, symbolized as the liṅga/pillar, transcends cosmic measures—beyond even the Sun’s vast journey.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Aruṇācala, portrayed as Śiva’s liṅga-bodied, immeasurable presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse teaches contemplative reverence for Aruṇācala as a cosmic liṅga.