Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

लिंगरूपो महादेवो ह्यर्चनीयो मुमुक्षुभिः । शिवात्परतरो नास्ति भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकः

Transliteration

liṃgarūpo mahādevo hyarcanīyo mumukṣubhiḥ | śivātparataro nāsti bhuktimuktipradāyakaḥ

Translation

ലിംഗരൂപനായ മഹാദേവനെ മോക്ഷകാംക്ഷികൾ ആരാധിക്കണം. ശിവനേക്കാൾ പരൻ ആരുമില്ല; ഭോഗവും മോക്ഷവും നൽകുന്നവൻ അവൻ തന്നേ.

Word by Word

• लिङ्ग-रूपः: having the form of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-रूपः: विशेषण (of महादेवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — 'लिङ्गस्य रूपम् यस्य' (in form of the liṅga)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — 'महान् देवः'

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• अर्चनीयः: worthy to be worshipped
• अर्चनीयः: विशेषण (of महादेवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्चनीय (कृदन्त; √अर्च्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-तव्यत्/अनीयर्-प्रत्यय (gerundive) — 'to be worshipped'

• मुमुक्षुभिः: by seekers of liberation
• मुमुक्षुभिः: कर्ता (agent of worship; instrumental of agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुमुक्षु (कृदन्त; √मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इच्छार्थक-उणादि/कृदन्त — 'one desiring liberation'

• शिवात्: than Śiva
• शिवात्: अपादान (standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तुलना-प्रयोग (than Śiva)

• परतरः: higher/superior
• परतरः: विशेषण (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परतर (प्रातिपदिक; comparative of पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण (comparative)

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अस्ति: exists/is
• अस्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदायकः: giver of enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदायकः: विशेषण (of शिवः/महादेवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदायक (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √दा + प्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः — भुक्तिः च मुक्तिः (द्वन्द्व) + प्रदायकः (giver); विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the Ṛṣis

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha Liṅga

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a stone Himalayan shrine: the Kedāra liṅga adorned with bilva leaves, streams of abhiṣeka water, lamps flickering; a mumukṣu devotee kneels with folded hands while the presence of Mahādeva is felt as a vast, serene radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva
• Śiva
• Liṅga
• Bhukti
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For liberation-seekers, liṅga-arcana is central; Śiva is affirmed as the supreme giver of both prosperity and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārnātha, where liṅga worship is a defining feature of the tirtha’s Śaiva mahatmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (ritual worship with offerings) of Mahādeva in liṅga form, especially by mumukṣus (liberation aspirants).