Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

गुरोर्जाताश्च गुरवो विख्याता भुवनत्रये । लिंगस्य महिमान तु नन्दी जानाति तत्त्वतः

Transliteration

gurorjātāśca guravo vikhyātā bhuvanatraye | liṃgasya mahimāna tu nandī jānāti tattvataḥ

Translation

ആദിഗുരുവിൽ നിന്ന് ഗുരുപരമ്പര ഉദ്ഭവിച്ച് ത്രിലോകത്തിലും പ്രസിദ്ധമായി; എങ്കിലും ശിവലിംഗത്തിന്റെ തത്ത്വപരമായ മഹിമ നന്ദി മാത്രമേ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ അറിയൂ.

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• जाताः: born/arisen
• जाताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘born/arisen’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• गुरवः: teachers
• गुरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• विख्याताः: renowned
• विख्याताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात (कृदन्त; √ख्या धातु + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (renowned)

• भुवन-त्रये: in the three worlds
• भुवन-त्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि भुवनानि)

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• महिमानम्: greatness
• महिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• नन्दी: Nandī
• नन्दी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्त्वतः: truly, in essence
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb: in truth/essentially)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lineage of gurus emanates from a primordial source; above them shines the mysterious liṅga; Nandī alone sits closest, eyes fixed, embodying intimate knowledge beyond discourse.

Characters & Entities

• Nandī
• Liṅga
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even revered lineages of teachers cannot fully exhaust the liṅga’s mystery; true insight requires deep devotion and realization symbolized by Nandī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kedārakhaṇḍa, the teaching supports the Kedāra sacred landscape by emphasizing liṅga-mahātmya central to Kedāranātha worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse stresses contemplative reverence for the liṅga and the authority of realized devotees.