Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यमो नीलमयं लिंगं राजतं नैरृतस्तथा । काश्मीरं पवनो लिंगमर्चयत्यनिशं विभोः

Transliteration

yamo nīlamayaṃ liṃgaṃ rājataṃ nairṛtastathā | kāśmīraṃ pavano liṃgamarcayatyaniśaṃ vibhoḥ

Translation

യമൻ നീലമയ ലിംഗത്തെ പൂജിക്കുന്നു; നൈഋതനും വെള്ളി ലിംഗത്തെ അർച്ചിക്കുന്നു. പവനദേവൻ വിഭുവായ ശിവന്റെ കാശ്മീരവർണ്ണ (കേസരി) ലിംഗത്തെ നിരന്തരം ആരാധിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• yamaḥ: Yama
• yamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• nīlamayam: made of blue (blue-formed)
• nīlamayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla + maya (प्रातिपदिक; मयट्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• liṅgam: liṅga (emblem)
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• rājatam: silver (made of silver)
• rājatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• nairṛtaḥ: Nairṛta (guardian of the southwest)
• nairṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ (also/likewise)

• kāśmīram: of Kashmir (saffron-colored / Kashmiri)
• kāśmīram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāśmīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• pavanaḥ: Wind (Vāyu)
• pavanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• arcayati: worships
• arcayati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• aniśam: constantly
• aniśam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aniśam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• vibhoḥ: of the Lord
• vibhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A dvija interlocutor/audience within the Kedārakhaṇḍa discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A triad of divine figures—Yama, Nairṛta, and Pavana—stand in their directional quarters, each offering flowers and lamps to a distinctively colored liṅga: deep blue, shining silver, and saffron-tinted; the Himalayan sanctum glows with incense and snow-lit radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Nairṛta
• Pavana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the guardians of directions revere Śiva through liṅga worship, demonstrating Śiva’s sovereignty over cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the overarching tīrtha context, with the verse amplifying the prestige of liṅga worship celebrated there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (formal worship) performed continually (aniśam) is highlighted.