Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

कर्णिकारे गणाध्यक्षं कैलासे तु गणाधिपम् । गंगाद्वारे हिमस्थानं जल लिंगे जलप्रियम्

Transliteration

karṇikāre gaṇādhyakṣaṃ kailāse tu gaṇādhipam | gaṃgādvāre himasthānaṃ jala liṃge jalapriyam

Translation

കർണികാരത്തിൽ അദ്ദേഹം ഗണാധ്യക്ഷൻ; കൈലാസത്തിൽ ഗണാധിപൻ. ഗംഗാദ്വാരത്തിൽ (ഹരിദ്വാർ) ഹിമസ്ഥാനൻ; ജലലിംഗത്തിൽ ജലപ്രിയൻ—ഇങ്ങനെ ശിവന്റെ രൂപങ്ങൾ തത്തത്തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധം.

Word by Word

• कर्णिकारे: at Karṇikāra (place)
• कर्णिकारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गणाध्यक्षम्: Gaṇādhyakṣa (lord of the gaṇas)
• गणाध्यक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गणानाम् अध्यक्षः)

• कैलासे: on/at Kailāsa
• कैलासे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• गणाधिपम्: Gaṇādhipa (chief of the gaṇas)
• गणाधिपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गणानाम् अधिपः)

• गंगाद्वारे: at Gaṅgādvāra (Haridvāra)
• गंगाद्वारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गङ्गायाः द्वारम्)

• हिमस्थानम्: Himasthāna (abode of snow)
• हिमस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (हिमस्य स्थानम्)

• जल: water
• जल: Qualifier (विशेषण/समासपूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• लिङ्गे: in/at the liṅga
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जलप्रियम्: dear to water / water-loving
• जलप्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (जलस्य प्रियः)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgādvāra (Haridwar)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four linked scenes: a forest shrine at Karṇikāra with gaṇa-leader iconography; snow-clad Kailāsa with Śiva as Gaṇādhipa; Haridwar ghats with pilgrims and flowing Gaṅgā; a water-surrounded liṅga receiving continuous abhiṣeka.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaṇas
• Karṇikāra
• Kailāsa
• Gaṅgādvāra (Haridvāra)
• Himasthāna
• Jala-liṅga
• Jalapriya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering Śiva through his named liṅgas anchored in holy places is itself a devotional act that connects sacred geography with inner worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgādvāra (Haridvāra) is explicitly referenced, along with Kailāsa and other named tīrtha-locations tied to Śiva’s forms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse functions as a sacred catalogue for recitation and remembrance of tīrthas and liṅga-names.