Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

पिंडदानादिकं कृत्वा दत्त्वा दानानि भूरिशः । गुहेश्वरादिलिंगानि यत्नतः प्रतिपूज्य च

Transliteration

piṃḍadānādikaṃ kṛtvā dattvā dānāni bhūriśaḥ | guheśvarādiliṃgāni yatnataḥ pratipūjya ca

Translation

പിണ്ഡദാനാദി കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നിർവഹിച്ചു, ധാരാളം ദാനങ്ങൾ നൽകി, ഗുഹേശ്വരാദി ലിംഗങ്ങളെ യത്നപൂർവ്വം വിധിപ്രകാരം പ്രതിപൂജ ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• पिण्डदानादिकम्: piṇḍa-offering etc. (rites beginning with piṇḍadāna)
• पिण्डदानादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड-दान-आदिक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (object)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having done’

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक; ‘having given’

• दानानि: gifts, donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भूरिशः: abundantly, in great quantity
• भूरिशः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरिशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• गुहेश्वरादिलिङ्गानि: liṅgas such as (those of) Guheśvara etc.
• गुहेश्वरादिलिङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहेश्वर-आदि-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गुहेश्वरादीनि लिङ्गानि’

• यत्नतः: carefully, with effort
• यत्नतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• प्रतिपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• प्रतिपूज्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिपूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having duly worshipped’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa (narrator, implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guheśvara (and associated liṅga group)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-kingly figure completes piṇḍa offerings near water, distributes gifts to brāhmaṇas, then proceeds to a cluster of ancient liṅga shrines, offering flowers, bilva leaves, incense, and lamps with deliberate reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Piṇḍadāna
• Dāna
• Guheśvara-liṅga
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage bears fruit when joined with pitṛ-tarpaṇa (piṇḍadāna), generosity (dāna), and devoted worship of Śiva’s liṅgas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to a tīrtha-region containing Guheśvara and other liṅgas, indicating a liṅga-clustered sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍadāna and allied rites, abundant dāna (charity), and careful pūjā of Guheśvara and other Śiva-liṅgas.