Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पिण्डीयुक्तं यता लिंगं स्थापितं च यथाऽभवत् । तथा नरा लिंगयुक्ताः पिण्डीभूतास्तता स्त्रियः

Transliteration

piṇḍīyuktaṃ yatā liṃgaṃ sthāpitaṃ ca yathā'bhavat | tathā narā liṃgayuktāḥ piṇḍībhūtāstatā striyaḥ

Translation

Sebagaimana liṅga ditegakkan bersama alasnya (piṇḍī/pīṭhikā), demikianlah lelaki dikurniai liṅga, dan perempuan, sepadan dengannya, dikurniai piṇḍī sebagai dasar penopang.

Word by Word

• पिण्डीयुक्तम्: joined with the piṇḍī (base)
• पिण्डीयुक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिण्डी (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पिण्ड्या युक्तम्)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थे (as/just as)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्थापितम्: was established/installed
• स्थापितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्थापय् + क्त → स्थापित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थे (as)

• अभवत्: was; came to be
• अभवत्: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथैव (so/likewise)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• लिङ्गयुक्ताः: endowed with the liṅga
• लिङ्गयुक्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of नराः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; युज्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गेन युक्ताः)

• पिण्डीभूताः: having become the piṇḍī (base)
• पिण्डीभूताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिण्डी (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु) + क्त → भूत; समासे पिण्डीभूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पिण्डी-रूपं भूताः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथैव (likewise)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of a Śiva-liṅga seated on its piṇḍī/pīṭhikā with abhiṣeka stream; beside it, an allegorical depiction of man and woman as complementary halves, framed respectfully and non-erotically.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The liṅga and its base are presented as complementary principles, mirrored in embodied existence as paired, interdependent realities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra setting frames the teaching, supporting the Kedāra-māhātmya emphasis on liṅga worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly supports liṅga installation and veneration (liṅga with pīṭhikā), though no step-by-step rite is stated here.