Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ततः पश्चिमदिग्भागे तस्य क्षेत्रस्य राक्षसैः । संस्थापितानि लिङ्गानि चतुर्वक्त्राणि च द्विजाः

Transliteration

tataḥ paścimadigbhāge tasya kṣetrasya rākṣasaiḥ | saṃsthāpitāni liṅgāni caturvaktrāṇi ca dvijāḥ

Translation

ਫਿਰ ਉਸ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਖੇਤਰ ਦੇ ਪੱਛਮੀ ਭਾਗ ਵਿੱਚ, ਹੇ ਦਵਿਜੋ, ਰਾਖਸ਼ਾਂ ਨੇ ਚਾਰ-ਮੁਖੀ ਲਿੰਗ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ ਕੀਤੇ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक

• पश्चिमदिग्भागे: in the western part/direction
• पश्चिमदिग्भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम + दिक् + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पश्चिमायां दिशि भागः)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षेत्रस्य: of the sacred area
• क्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राक्षसैः: by rākṣasas
• राक्षसैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• संस्थापितानि: were established
• संस्थापितानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि—‘were established’

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas
• लिङ्गानि: Karta (Grammatical subject in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चतुर्वक्त्राणि: four-faced
• चतुर्वक्त्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘लिङ्गानि’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born ones
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Paścima-dik Caturvaktra-liṅga-sthāna

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dwijas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the western sector of the sacred region, rākṣasas install four-faced liṅgas on pedestals, with ritual fires and offerings; the scene emphasizes the west-direction marker.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Liṅga (four-faced)
• Kṣetra (western quarter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A kṣetra’s holiness is reinforced through many installations across directions, creating a complete sacred mandala of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The western sector of the kṣetra in Adhyāya 103 is highlighted for its distinctive four-faced liṅgas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā is described; the verse specifies the direction (west) and the form (caturvaktra).