Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

भानुस्ताम्रमयं लिंगं पूजयत्यनिशं शुभम् । रौक्मं लिंगं कुबेरश्च पाशी चारक्तमेव च

Transliteration

bhānustāmramayaṃ liṃgaṃ pūjayatyaniśaṃ śubham | raukmaṃ liṃgaṃ kuberaśca pāśī cāraktameva ca

Translation

ഭാനു (സൂര്യൻ) നിരന്തരം ശുഭമായ താമ്രമയ ലിംഗത്തെ പൂജിക്കുന്നു. കുബേരൻ സ്വർണമയ ലിംഗത്തെയും, പാശീ (വരുണൻ) രക്തവർണ്ണ ലിംഗത്തെയും പൂജിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• भानुः: Bhānu (Sun)
• भानुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ताम्र-मयम्: made of copper
• ताम्र-मयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पूजयति: worships
• पूजयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अनिशम्: constantly
• अनिशम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिश (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: continually)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• रौक्मम्: made of gold
• रौक्मम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौक्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कुबेरः: Kubera
• कुबेरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुबेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

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

• पाशी: the noose-bearer (Pāśī)
• पाशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; पाशधारी (epithet)

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

• आरक्तम्: reddish (coppery/red)
• आरक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आरक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra liṅga-mahātmyam (universal deva worship)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three divine courts: Sūrya (Bhānu) offers to a copper liṅga amid blazing aureole; Kubera offers to a golden liṅga in a treasury-like hall; Varuṇa (Pāśī) offers to a red-hued liṅga with oceanic motifs and a noose emblem.

Characters & Entities

• Bhānu
• Kubera
• Varuṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different cosmic powers venerate Śiva through diverse forms of liṅga worship, showing the universality of Śiva-bhakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s māhātmya frames these examples to elevate liṅga worship associated with the Kedāra region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Steady, ongoing pūjā (aniśam) is commended; the verse also implies acceptability of varied worship-materials.