Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अखंडैर्बिल्वपत्रैश्च पुष्पैर्वा विविधैरपि । लिंगं प्रपूरणं कृत्वा लक्ष्मेकं वसेद्दिवि

Transliteration

akhaṃḍairbilvapatraiśca puṣpairvā vividhairapi | liṃgaṃ prapūraṇaṃ kṛtvā lakṣmekaṃ vaseddivi

Translation

अखण्डैर्बिल्वपत्रैर्वा नानापुष्पैर्वापि लिङ्गं सम्पूर्णं प्रपूर्य, स लक्ष्म्यैकसमृद्धो दिवि वसति।

Word by Word

• अखण्डैः: unbroken/whole
• अखण्डैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (बिल्वपत्रैः)

• बिल्वपत्रैः: with bilva leaves
• बिल्वपत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (बिल्वस्य पत्रम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पुष्पैः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रपूरणम्: filling/adorning fully
• प्रपूरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + पूर् (धातु) → प्रपूरण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाववाचक-नाम (ल्युट्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (पूरणरूपेण)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• लक्ष्मि: prosperity/fortune
• लक्ष्मि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस रूप: लक्ष्मि = लक्ष्मीम्)

• एकम्: single/one (measure: a unit of)
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (लक्ष्मि)

• वसेत्: would dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (द्यु/दिव्-शब्द)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liṅga is completely covered with intact bilva leaves and mixed flowers, forming a green-gold mound; attendants arrange offerings in layers, suggesting fullness (prapūraṇa).

Characters & Entities

• Śiva Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wholehearted ornamentation of the Śiva-liṅga—even with simple leaves—brings great merit and auspicious fortune.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse praises liṅga-pūjā as a universally efficacious Śaiva practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prapūraṇa of the liṅga—fully adorning/covering it with unbroken bilva leaves or assorted flowers.