Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 114

Devanagari script

लिंगं पंचामृतेनैव यथोक्तेनाभ्यषेचयत् । विप्रैः समावृतो नित्यं वेदवेदांगपारगैः

Transliteration

liṃgaṃ paṃcāmṛtenaiva yathoktenābhyaṣecayat | vipraiḥ samāvṛto nityaṃ vedavedāṃgapāragaiḥ

Translation

ശാസ്ത്രവിധിപ്രകാരം പഞ്ചാമൃതംകൊണ്ട് അവൻ ലിംഗത്തിന് അഭിഷേകം ചെയ്തു. പ്രതിദിനം പൂജയിൽ വേദവും വേദാംഗവും പാരംഗതരായ ബ്രാഹ്മണർ അവനെ ചുറ്റിനിന്നു.

Word by Word

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

• पञ्चामृतेन: with the five nectars (pañcāmṛta)
• पञ्चामृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-अमृत (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + अमृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); साधन (means)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis/only)

• यथोक्तेन: as prescribed, as stated
• यथोक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; यथा + उक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• अभ्यषेचयत्: anointed, bathed (with libations)
• अभ्यषेचयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच् (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि-
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• विप्रैः: by/with brāhmaṇas
• विप्रैः: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); सहकार्यार्थे (with/along with)

• समावृतः: surrounded, accompanied
• समावृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-वृत (प्रातिपदिक; सम् + आ + वृत)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• नित्यम्: always, daily
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः: with those proficient in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-वेदाङ्ग-पारग (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + वेदाङ्ग + पारग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier of विप्रैः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nandī-liṅga

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal abhiṣeka: the liṅga on a pedestal, streams of pañcāmṛta poured from vessels; brāhmaṇas encircle chanting Vedic hymns; Nandī stands reverently with offerings arranged on leaf-plates.

Characters & Entities

• Nandī
• Śiva-liṅga
• Brāhmaṇas
• Veda
• Vedāṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion expresses itself through śāstra-guided worship—offering to Śiva with purity, order, and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra as presented in the Kedārakhaṇḍa of the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka of the liṅga with pañcāmṛta, performed according to scriptural injunctions and accompanied by Veda-trained brāhmaṇas.