Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तच्चार्यंति तल्लिंगं नानानागेन्द्रसत्तमाः । तदधस्ताज्जलं भूरि तस्याधो नरकाः स्मृताः

Transliteration

taccāryaṃti talliṃgaṃ nānānāgendrasattamāḥ | tadadhastājjalaṃ bhūri tasyādho narakāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ നാഗേന്ദ്രന്മാർ ആ ലിംഗത്തെ അർച്ചിച്ച് പരിചരിക്കുന്നു. അതിന്റെ താഴെ വിപുലമായ ജലവിസ്താരം ഉണ്ട്; അതിനും താഴെ നരകങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടെന്ന് പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• चारयन्ति: cause to move/attend upon
• चारयन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → चारयति
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गम्)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• नानानागेन्द्रसत्तमाः: the best of various serpent-kings
• नानानागेन्द्रसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना + नागेन्द्र + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नानाविधाः नागेन्द्राः, तेषां सत्तमाः)

• तत्: below that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अधस्तात्)

• अधस्तात्: beneath
• अधस्तात्: Adhikaraṇa-bodhaka (Locative sense/अधिकरणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (below/beneath)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूरि: abundant
• भूरि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरि (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (much/abundant)

• तस्य: of that/of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अधः: below
• अधः: Adhikaraṇa-bodhaka (Locative sense/अधिकरणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (below)

• नरकाः: hells
• नरकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are said/are remembered (as)
• स्मृताः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि/भावे—‘कथ्यन्ते/उच्यन्ते’ इत्यर्थः; विशेषणम् (नरकाः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrīhāṭakeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nāga-kings with jeweled hoods circle the colossal liṅga in worship; beneath the sanctum is a vast dark ocean, and far below, glimpses of fiery naraka caverns—yet the liṅga’s presence radiates calm dominion.

Characters & Entities

• Nāga-kings
• Śiva (liṅga)
• Narakas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion (sevā) to Śiva is portrayed as present even among Nāga-kings, while the mention of narakas below underscores karmic accountability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śrīhāṭakeśvara-liṅga in Pātāla, honored by Nāga-lords.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied worship/service to the liṅga (sevā/arcana) is mentioned generally, without procedural details.