Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

लिंगरूपोऽब्रवीच्छंभुर्निराकारो निरामयः । निरंजनो व्योमकेशः कपर्द्दी नीललोहितः

Transliteration

liṃgarūpo'bravīcchaṃbhurnirākāro nirāmayaḥ | niraṃjano vyomakeśaḥ kaparddī nīlalohitaḥ

Translation

ലിംഗരൂപത്തിൽ വസിച്ച്, നിരാകാരൻ, നിരാമയൻ, നിരഞ്ജനൻ—വ്യോമകേശൻ, കപർദി, നീലലോഹിതനായ ശംഭു അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• लिङ्गरूपः: having the form of the liṅga
• लिङ्गरूपः: Karta-predicate (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—लिङ्गस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) → ‘लिङ्गरूप’

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निराकारः: formless
• निराकारः: Karta-predicate (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शम्भुः’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• निरामयः: free from disease/affliction
• निरामयः: Karta-predicate (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निरञ्जनः: stainless/pure
• निरञ्जनः: Karta-predicate (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• व्योमकेशः: Vyomakeśa (whose hair is like the sky)
• व्योमकेशः: Karta (Appositional epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—व्योम इव केशाः यस्य (one whose hair is like the sky/space)

• कपर्दी: Kapardī (with matted hair)
• कपर्दी: Karta (Appositional epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नीललोहितः: blue and red-hued
• नीललोहितः: Karta-predicate (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—नीलः च लोहितः च (द्वन्द्व, वर्णद्वय-समाहारः)

Speaker

Śambhu (Śiva) (introduced as speaker)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Internal audience of the Kedāra narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, though described as formless and stainless, is present as a liṅga and speaks; epithets—Vyo makeśa, Kapardī, Nīlalohita—evoke cosmic ascetic radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is beyond form and blemish, yet compassionately becomes accessible through the Liṅga for worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra’s Śaiva frame is implied; the Liṅga-form emphasis resonates with Kedāra worship traditions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit endorsement of Liṅga-upāsanā (worship of Śiva as Liṅga), though no procedure is detailed.