Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य शिरसा तत्र स्थापितः परमेश्वरः । स्थापितो गौतमेनेशो गौतमेश्वर उच्यते

Transliteration

praṇamya śirasā tatra sthāpitaḥ parameśvaraḥ | sthāpito gautameneśo gautameśvara ucyate

Translation

तत्र शिरसा प्रणम्य गौतमेन परमेश्वरः स्थापितः; गौतमेन स्थापितत्वात् स ईशो ‘गौतमेश्वर’ इति उच्यते।

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक)

• स्थापितः: was installed/established
• स्थापितः: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थापित (कृदन्त; √स्था (धातु) णिच् (causative) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (परमः ईश्वरः)

• स्थापितः: was installed
• स्थापितः: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थापित (कृदन्त; √स्था णिच् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गौतमेने: by Gautama
• गौतमेने: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (singular)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• गौतमेश्वरः: (as) Gautameshvara
• गौतमेश्वरः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘गौतमस्य ईश्वरः’)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautameśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gautama bows with head to the ground and installs a Śiva-liṅga; priests and sages witness; the liṅga radiates, signifying Parameśvara’s acceptance; the name ‘Gautameśvara’ inscribed or proclaimed.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara (Śiva)
• Gautama
• Gautameśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expressed through reverence and consecration (sthāpanā) is celebrated as a way to anchor divine presence in a place for the welfare of all.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gautameśvara—Śiva established by sage Gautama, forming the core of the Gautameśvara tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act of installation/consecration (sthāpanā) of the Lord after bowing—an archetype for liṅga-pratiṣṭhā and worship.