Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तत्रावतीर्य गोवत्सस्वरूपेणांबिकापतिः । स्वयंभूलिंगरूपेण संस्थितो जगतां पतिः

Transliteration

tatrāvatīrya govatsasvarūpeṇāṃbikāpatiḥ | svayaṃbhūliṃgarūpeṇa saṃsthito jagatāṃ patiḥ

Translation

तेथे अंबिकापती (शिव) गोवत्सरूपाने अवतरले आणि जगत्पती स्वयंभू लिंगरूपाने प्रतिष्ठित झाले।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक adverb)

• अवतीर्य: having descended
• अवतीर्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• गोवत्सस्वरूपेण: in the form of a calf (Govatsa-form)
• गोवत्सस्वरूपेण: Karana (Means/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गोवत्सस्य स्वरूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अम्बिकापतिः: the husband of Ambikā (Śiva)
• अम्बिकापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अम्बिकायाः पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• स्वयंभू: self-born; self-manifest
• स्वयंभू: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (पतिः)

• लिङ्गरूपेण: in the form of a liṅga
• लिङ्गरूपेण: Karana (Mode/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लिङ्गस्य रूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संस्थितः: stood; was established
• संस्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रियासमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (पतिः)

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration; speaker not re-stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Govatsa-tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a serene ford, Śiva (Ambikāpati) appears as a radiant calf stepping into the waters; nearby, a svayaṃbhū-liṅga rises from the earth/rock, emitting light; devotees and sages witness in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Ambikāpati (Śiva)
• Svayaṃbhū Liṅga
• Govatsa (calf-form)
• Govatsa-tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is grounded in divine presence: Śiva’s self-manifestation sanctifies the landscape and makes it a living shrine.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Govatsa-tīrtha, where Śiva is said to be established as a Svayaṃbhū Liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is commanded here; it provides the theological basis for worship—darśana and liṅga-pūjā—at this spot.