Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

शिवलिंगं प्रतिष्ठाप्य धूपगंधानुलेपनैः । अनिशं पूजयामास श्रद्धया परयान्वितः

Transliteration

śivaliṃgaṃ pratiṣṭhāpya dhūpagaṃdhānulepanaiḥ | aniśaṃ pūjayāmāsa śraddhayā parayānvitaḥ

Translation

शिवलिंगाची प्रतिष्ठा करून धूप, सुगंधी द्रव्ये व अनुलेपन यांनी तो परम श्रद्धेने अखंड पूजा करू लागला.

Word by Word

• शिवलिङ्गम्: Śiva-liṅga
• शिवलिङ्गम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य लिङ्गम्)

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), धातु: स्था; अर्थः—स्थापयित्वा

• धूपगन्धानुलेपनैः: with incense, fragrance, and unguents
• धूपगन्धानुलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप + गन्ध + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—समाहार-द्वन्द्व (धूपः च गन्धः च अनुलेपनं च)

• अनिशम्: constantly
• अनिशम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Frequency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (continually)

• पूजयामास: he worshipped
• पूजयामास: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थे—पूजयति स्म

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument: with faith)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• परया: supreme, intense
• परया: Karana (Qualifier of instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (श्रद्धया)

• अन्वितः: endowed (with)
• अन्वितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) < अनु + इ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (सः)

Speaker

Pulastya (narration context; verse is descriptive)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-liṅga (installed at Arbuda)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside/near the cleft, a freshly installed Śiva-liṅga on a simple pīṭha; the devotee offers incense smoke, fragrant pastes, and unguents; lamps flicker against rock walls; the mood is continuous worship.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady, faith-filled worship of Śiva—expressed through liṅga-pratiṣṭhā and daily pūjā—draws divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa setting, the narrative points toward the Arbuda/Prabhāsa sacred landscape where Śaiva worship yields exceptional merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā followed by continual pūjā using dhūpa (incense) and gandha/anulepana (fragrant unguents).