Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

लिंगं च निर्गुणं साक्षाज्जानीध्वं भो द्रिजोतमाः । लयाल्लिंगस्य माहात्म्यं गुणानां परिकीर्त्यते

Transliteration

liṃgaṃ ca nirguṇaṃ sākṣājjānīdhvaṃ bho drijotamāḥ | layālliṃgasya māhātmyaṃ guṇānāṃ parikīrtyate

Translation

Ketahuilah dengan nyata, wahai para dwija yang utama, bahawa Liṅga itu nirguṇa, melampaui tiga guṇa. Dan kerana segala sesuatu luluh (laya) kembali ke dalam-Nya, maka kemuliaan Liṅga dipuji serta dihuraikan bersama ajaran tentang guṇa-guṇa.

Word by Word

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• nirguṇam: without guṇas
• nirguṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• sākṣāt: directly; manifestly
• sākṣāt: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'directly/manifestly')

• jānīdhvam: know (you all)
• jānīdhvam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा) (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• bho: O!
• bho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (सम्बोधन-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बोधनार्थक निपात (vocative particle)

• dvi-ja-uttamāḥ: O best of the twice-born
• dvi-ja-uttamāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष ('द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः')

• layāt: from/through dissolution
• layāt: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ/अपादानार्थ

• liṅgasya: of the liṅga
• liṅgasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• māhātmyam: greatness; glory
• māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• guṇānām: of the guṇas
• guṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• parikīrtyate: is proclaimed; is described
• parikīrtyate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kīrt (कीर्त्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Vyāsa (addressing dvijas; continuing Nandin’s doctrine)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha Liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-uttamāḥ (best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A proclamation scene: learned dvijas listen as the teacher declares the Liṅga nirguṇa; the Liṅga appears simple and attribute-less, yet radiates an all-pervading light; guṇa symbols appear as faint, secondary annotations around it.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Dvijas
• Guṇas
• Laya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Liṅga is affirmed as nirguṇa; its mahātmya rests on being the ultimate point of dissolution beyond guṇic limitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in the verse; the Kedāra framework uses this doctrine to magnify Liṅga worship associated with Kedārakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual is added here; it strengthens the theological rationale for Liṅga worship.