Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

सर्वपन्नगराजेन शेषेण सुमहात्मना । तप स्तप्त्वा महालिंगमिदमत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

sarvapannagarājena śeṣeṇa sumahātmanā | tapa staptvā mahāliṃgamidamatra pratiṣṭhitam

Translation

அனைத்து நாகராஜர்களின் அரசனான மகாத்மா சேஷன் கடுந்தவம் செய்து இங்கே இந்த மகாலிங்கத்தை நிறுவினான்.

Word by Word

• सर्वपन्नगराजेन: by the king of all serpents
• सर्वपन्नगराजेन: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पन्नगराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सर्वेषां पन्नगानां राजा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/कर्ता-हेतु), एकवचन

• शेषेण: by Śeṣa
• शेषेण: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (apposition to previous)

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled (one)
• सुमहात्मना: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (शेषेण इति विशेषणम्)

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तप्त्वा: having performed (austerity)
• तप्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: महत् लिङ्गम् (कर्मधारय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (प्रतिष्ठितम् इति सह)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: has been established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति√स्था (धातु) → प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त/कर्मणि)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकृदन्त, कर्मणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्मणि-भावे ‘स्थापितम्/प्रतिष्ठापितम्’ इत्यर्थे (finite-verb sense)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The hero/inquirer (vīra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vision of Śeṣa, majestic serpent-king, performing severe austerities—coiled in meditation—then establishing a grand liṅga at the site; the liṅga radiates restrained fire-like light.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• Nāgarāja
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred site gains enduring power through tapas and proper consecration; devotion can sanctify geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A local Mahāliṅga-sthāna (Śiva-liṅga site) said to be established by Śeṣa; the passage frames it as a consecrated sacred spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) leading to pratiṣṭhā (establishment/consecration) of a liṅga.