Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

यच्च लिंगकृते प्राह हरिर्मां धर्मवत्सलः । खे वाणी तारकवधे एवमेव पुराह माम्

Transliteration

yacca liṃgakṛte prāha harirmāṃ dharmavatsalaḥ | khe vāṇī tārakavadhe evameva purāha mām

Translation

ധർമ്മവത്സലനായ ഹരി ലിംഗത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് എന്നോട് എന്ത് പറഞ്ഞുവോ, അത് തന്നെ താരകാസുര വധസമയത്ത് അശരീരിയും എന്നോട് മുൻപേ പറഞ്ഞിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• लिङ्गकृते: for the sake of the liṅga
• लिङ्गकृते: Adhikarana (Location/Purpose context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य कृते = for the sake of the liṅga)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धर्मवत्सलः: fond of righteousness
• धर्मवत्सलः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (धर्मे वत्सलः = fond of dharma)

• खे: in the sky
• खे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वाणी: a voice
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तारकवधे: at the slaying of Tāraka
• तारकवधे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक) + vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तारकस्य वधे = at the slaying of Tāraka)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (thus)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: formerly)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• माम्: to me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: (Unnamed here) prospective Tāraka-vadha sambandhita liṅga-sthānas

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaṅkara (and/or assembled devas/ṛṣis in frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda recalls: Hari instructed him about the liṅga; at Tāraka’s slaying a voice from the sky echoed the same. Visualize a cosmic battlefield with a luminous voice descending as sound-light.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Śiva-liṅga
• Tāraka
• Heavenly Voice (Ākāśavāṇī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Teachings on Liṅga worship are validated by multiple divine authorities—Hari’s counsel and the heavenly voice—grounding practice in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse strengthens the authority of Liṅga-related teaching through mythic remembrance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-related observance is referenced (liṅgakṛte), supporting worship/establishment though details are not expanded in this verse.