Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 178
यवजं देवलो लिंगं पतिमित्येव नाम च । वल्मीकजं च वाल्मीकिश्चिरवासीति नाम च
yavajaṃ devalo liṃgaṃ patimityeva nāma ca | valmīkajaṃ ca vālmīkiściravāsīti nāma ca
देवलाने यवापासून बनविलेले लिंग प्रतिष्ठापिले; त्याचे नाव ‘पति’—प्रभू—असे सांगितले जाते. वाल्मिकीने वल्मीकातून (वारुळातून) बनलेले लिंग स्थापिले; ते ‘चिरवासी’—सदा वास करणारे—या नावाने प्रसिद्ध आहे.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Listener: Ṛṣis (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)
Scene: Two sages in a forested hermitage: Devala shaping a small barley liṅga on a clean altar; Vālmīki near an anthill, reverently forming/adorning an earthen liṅga, with Śiva’s subtle presence implied by aura and bilva leaves.
FAQs
Śiva’s presence is ‘ever-abiding’—discoverable even in humble earth like an anthill and worshipable through the simplest grains.
No explicit tirtha is mentioned; the verse highlights sages and their consecrations rather than a pilgrimage locale.
Constructing a Liṅga from barley or earth (anthill) is implied; no further ritual details are given.