Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

ततो द्वितीयं लिंगं तु वह्निकोणाश्रितं तथा । स्थापयामास सरसो यत्र शक्तिर्विनिर्ययौ

Transliteration

tato dvitīyaṃ liṃgaṃ tu vahnikoṇāśritaṃ tathā | sthāpayāmāsa saraso yatra śaktirviniryayau

Translation

അനന്തരം അദ്ദേഹം അഗ്നികോണത്തിൽ (തെക്കുകിഴക്ക്) സ്ഥിതമായ രണ്ടാമത്തെ ലിംഗവും സ്ഥാപിച്ചു. സരോവരത്തിനരികെ, ശക്തി ഉദ്ഭവിച്ച സ്ഥലത്തുതന്നെ അതിനെ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• द्वितीयम्: second
• द्वितीयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा?—विशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचनम् (agreeing with लिङ्गम्); विभक्ति: द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: निपातः/समुच्चय-भेदकः (particle, emphasis/contrast)

• वह्नि-कोण-आश्रितम्: situated in the Agni corner (southeast)
• वह्नि-कोण-आश्रितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + कोण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (कृदन्त, √श्रि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘आश्रित’ = ‘आश्रितम्’; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (वह्निकोणे आश्रितम् = ‘situated in the fire-corner/southeast’)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• स्थापयामास: installed, set up
• स्थापयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्थापय (धातु-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; धातुः: √स्था; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative) = ‘caused to be placed/installed’

• सरसः: of the lake/pond
• सरसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (genitive) एकवचनम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: देशवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधकः (relative adverb ‘where’)

• शक्तिः: the Śakti (divine power/goddess)
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (nominative) एकवचनम्

• विनिर्ययौ: went out, emerged
• विनिर्ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वि + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; धातुः: √या (to go) उपसर्गौ: वि-, नि-; अर्थः: ‘went forth/emerged’

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasa-tīra (lake-side liṅga-sthāna) associated with Kapāleśvara complex (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda (or the consecrating figure) installs a second liṅga at the south-eastern corner by a serene lake; a subtle radiance indicates the spot where Śakti manifested.

Characters & Entities

• Śakti
• Agni-koṇa (southeast)
• Saras (lake)
• Śiva (Liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine events sanctify geography; direction and landscape (like a lake) become part of lived pilgrimage practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A lakeside spot in the southeast (Agni corner) where Śakti manifested is identified as the second Liṅga-sthala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā at a directionally defined sacred point; the verse primarily records the consecration location.