Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 157

Devanagari script

वरुणः स्फाटिकं लिंगं नाम्ना च परमेश्वरम् । नागा विद्रुमलिंगं च नाम लोकत्रयंकरम्

Transliteration

varuṇaḥ sphāṭikaṃ liṃgaṃ nāmnā ca parameśvaram | nāgā vidrumaliṃgaṃ ca nāma lokatrayaṃkaram

Translation

वरुणः स्फाटिकं लिङ्गं पूजयन् ‘परमेश्वर’ इति नाम जपति। नागा विद्रुमलिङ्गं पूजयन्ति, ‘लोकत्रयंकर’ इति नाम च जपन्ति।

Word by Word

• varuṇaḥ: Varuṇa
• varuṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sphāṭikam: crystal
• sphāṭikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sphāṭika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• nāmnā: by the name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे ‘by the name (of)’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• parameśvaram: Parameśvara (Supreme Lord)
• parameśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय) ‘परमः ईश्वरः’

• nāgāḥ: the Nāgas
• nāgāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• vidruma-liṅgam: coral liṅga
• vidruma-liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidruma (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘विद्रुमस्य लिङ्गम्’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• nāma: named; called
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; naming usage

• loka-trayaṃ-karam: maker of the three worlds
• loka-trayaṃ-karam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘लोकत्रयं करोति’ (कृदर्थे बहुव्रीहिवत् अर्थः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default attribution

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sphāṭika-liṅga (Varuṇa-upāsanā) / Vidruma-liṅga (Nāga-upāsanā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varuṇa in oceanic court worships a transparent crystal liṅga refracting light like a prism; nearby, Nāgas in jeweled hoods worship a red coral liṅga amid underwater/underground treasure, chanting ‘Parameśvara’ and ‘Lokatrayaṃkara’.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Nāgas
• Śiva
• Parameśvara
• Lokatrayaṃkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the Supreme Lord and universal benefactor; different cosmic communities honor Him with names reflecting His all-world-protecting grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No geographical tīrtha is specified; the verse emphasizes cosmic devotion to Śiva across realms (water, subterranean, and celestial).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of crystal and coral liṅgas with nāma invocation: ‘Parameśvara’ and ‘Lokatrayaṃkara’.