Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पुरा प्रावृषि पांशूत्थं शिवायतनमुच्छ्रितम् । जलार्द्रवालुकाप्रायं प्रांशुप्राकारशोभितम्

Transliteration

purā prāvṛṣi pāṃśūtthaṃ śivāyatanamucchritam | jalārdravālukāprāyaṃ prāṃśuprākāraśobhitam

Translation

പണ്ടൊരു മഴക്കാലത്ത് ഞാൻ മണ്ണും പൊടിയും കൊണ്ടുണ്ടാക്കിയ ഒരു ശിവായതനം ഉയർത്തി പണിതു. അത് വെള്ളത്തിൽ നനഞ്ഞ മണൽപോലെ ആയിരുന്നു; ഉയർന്ന പ്രാകാരഭിത്തിയാൽ ശോഭിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• प्रावृषि: in the rainy season
• प्रावृषि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रावृष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पांशूत्थम्: arisen from dust
• पांशूत्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पांशु + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पांशोः उत्थम् = arising from dust)

• शिवायतनम्: Śiva-temple, shrine of Śiva
• शिवायतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य आयतनम्)

• उच्छ्रितम्: raised, elevated
• उच्छ्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + श्रि (धातु) → उच्छ्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जलार्द्रवालुकाप्रायम्: mostly wet sand
• जलार्द्रवालुकाप्रायम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + आर्द्र + वालुका + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (जल-आर्द्र-वालुका-प्रायम् = mostly sand moistened with water)

• प्रांशुप्राकारशोभितम्: adorned with tall ramparts
• प्रांशुप्राकारशोभितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रांशु + प्राकार + शोभित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रांशु-प्राकारैः शोभितम्) + क्त-कृदन्त

Speaker

Kūrma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a rainy-season setting, a child raises a small but lofty Śiva-shrine from wet sand and earth, complete with an enclosing wall, suggesting surprising architectural grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is measured by intention, not materials—even a simple sand shrine for Śiva becomes spiritually significant.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes a Śiva-āyatana but does not name a location; it functions as a general māhātmya of shrine-making.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Constructing/raising a Śiva-āyatana (shrine) as an act of devotion is implied.