Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अस्य तीरे महालिंगं स्थापयामास वै विभुः । तत्र देवः स्वयं साक्षाद्विद्यते किल शंकरः

Transliteration

asya tīre mahāliṃgaṃ sthāpayāmāsa vai vibhuḥ | tatra devaḥ svayaṃ sākṣādvidyate kila śaṃkaraḥ

Translation

അതിന്റെയ തീരത്ത് ആ വിഭു മഹാലിംഗം സ്ഥാപിച്ചു; അവിടെ ദേവൻ ശങ്കരൻ സ്വയം സാക്ഷാത് വിരാജിക്കുന്നു എന്നു പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this (lake/place)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• तीरे: on the bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• महालिङ्गम्: a great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् लिङ्गम्); Accusative singular

• स्थापयामास: caused to be स्थापित; established
• स्थापयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्थापय (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (periphrastic perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• विभुः: the mighty one (Brahmā)
• विभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-viseshana (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: directly/manifestly)

• विद्यते: is present/exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु; ‘to be found/ exist’ in Ātmanepada)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Present 3rd sg.

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (reportative particle: ‘it is said’)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmasaras-tīra Mahāliṅga (Brahmeśa context)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (unit addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the lake’s bank, Brahmā installs a towering Mahāliṅga; the atmosphere indicates Śiva’s direct presence—radiance, stillness, and sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brahmasaras
• Mahāliṅga
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A consecrated liṅga at a sanctified tīrtha is not merely symbolic; the Purāṇa affirms Śiva’s direct presence there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The bank of Brahmasaras, where the great liṅga (Brahmeśa/Mahāliṅga) is established.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-sthāpanā (installation) is narrated; devotional visitation and worship are implied by the claim of Śiva’s manifest presence.