Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 173

Devanagari script

सप्तलोकमयं साध्या बहूरूपेति नाम च । दूर्वांकुरमयं लिंगमृतवः सर्वनाम च

Transliteration

saptalokamayaṃ sādhyā bahūrūpeti nāma ca | dūrvāṃkuramayaṃ liṃgamṛtavaḥ sarvanāma ca

Translation

ਸਾਧ੍ਯਾਂ ਨੇ ਸੱਤ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਰੂਪ ਵਾਲਾ ਇਕ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਲਿੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਸ਼ਠਿਤ ਕੀਤਾ; ਉਸ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ‘ਬਹੁੁਰੂਪ’—ਅਨੇਕ ਰੂਪਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ—ਹੈ। ਰਿਤੂਆਂ ਨੇ ਕੋਮਲ ਦੂರ್ವਾ ਅੰਕੁਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਣਿਆ ਲਿੰਗ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ ਕੀਤਾ; ਉਹ ‘ਸਰਵਨਾਮਨ’—ਸਭ ਨਾਮਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ—ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• सप्तलोकमयम्: made of/consisting of the seven worlds
• सप्तलोकमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival) — ‘सप्तलोकैः/सप्तलोकस्य मयम्’ इति भावः

• साध्याः: the Sādhyas
• साध्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘साध्य’ देवगणः (a class of deities)

• बहूरूपा: (named) Bahurūpā
• बहूरूपा: Predicate/Name (Saṃjñā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (as a proper name)

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (particle indicating naming)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दूर्वाङ्कुरमयम्: made of dūrvā sprouts
• दूर्वाङ्कुरमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुर (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘दूर्वाङ्कुरैः मयम्’

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma/Predicate object (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• ऋतवः: the seasons
• ऋतवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• सर्वनाम: (named) Sarvanāma
• सर्वनाम: Predicate/Name (Saṃjñā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (as a proper name)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred precinct where divine Sādhyas install a radiant liṅga embodying seven worlds; nearby the Seasons personified offer a tender green dūrvā-shoot liṅga, garlanded with fresh grass and dew.

Characters & Entities

• Sādhyas
• Bahurūpa
• Ṛtus (Seasons)
• Dūrvā
• Sarvanāman
• Śiva (implied by liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is cosmic (pervading seven worlds) and also intimate (worshiped with simple dūrvā); both grandeur and simplicity lead to merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse; it serves the chapter’s generalized Liṅga Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse hints at dūrvā usage in worship (a common upacāra), but gives no step-by-step injunction.