Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा ततः सोपि स्थापयामास शांभ वम् । लिंगं च पूजयामास त्रिकालं तपसि स्थितः

Transliteration

evamuktvā tataḥ sopi sthāpayāmāsa śāṃbha vam | liṃgaṃ ca pūjayāmāsa trikālaṃ tapasi sthitaḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞ ശേഷം അവൻ ശാംഭവ (ശൈവ) ലിംഗം പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചു; തപസ്സിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട് ത്രികാലവും ലിംഗപൂജ ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (then/thereafter)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• स्थापयामास: caused to be established; established
• स्थापयामास: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थापय (णिजन्त/causative)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• शाम्भवम्: Śaiva; belonging to Śambhu
• शाम्भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाम्भव (प्रातिपदिक; शम्भु-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

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

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पूजयामास: worshipped
• पूजयामास: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजय (णिजन्त/causative)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• त्रिकालम्: at the three times (daily)
• त्रिकालम्: Kālādhi-karaṇa (Temporal adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (त्रयः कालाः यस्मिन्/त्रिषु कालेषु); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of time)

• तपसि: in austerity; in penance
• तपसि: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• स्थितः: remaining; stationed
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे विशेषणवत्

Speaker

Narrative voice

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest-ashram clearing near a sacred water-source; the royal sage completes a Śāmbhava-liṅga installation and begins three daily worship cycles, seated in austerity with matted hair and calm gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion matures through disciplined practice—establishment, worship, and sustained tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Hāṭakeśvara-associated sacred region in Nāgarakhaṇḍa is contextualized through liṅga-sthāpanā and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-sthāpanā (installation) and trikāla-pūjā (worship thrice daily) while observing tapas.