Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

जितेंद्रियाणां शांतानां तन्निष्ठानां महात्मनाम् । सुलभो लिंगरूपी स्याद्भवतां हि सुदुर्लभः

Transliteration

jiteṃdriyāṇāṃ śāṃtānāṃ tanniṣṭhānāṃ mahātmanām | sulabho liṃgarūpī syādbhavatāṃ hi sudurlabhaḥ

Translation

புலன்களை வென்று, அமைதியுடன், அதிலே உறுதிநிலையுடைய மகாத்மர்களுக்கு லிங்கரூபமான ஈசன் எளிதில் கிடைப்பான்; ஆனால் உங்களுக்கு அவர் மிக அரிது।

Word by Word

• jita-indriyāṇām: of those whose senses are conquered
• jita-indriyāṇām: Genitive qualifier (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (√ji, धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्); ‘jita’ = क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• śāntānām: of the peaceful ones
• śāntānām: Genitive qualifier (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (√śam, धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त विशेषणम् (महात्मनाम्)

• tat-niṣṭhānām: of those devoted to Him/that
• tat-niṣṭhānām: Genitive qualifier (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् निष्ठा येषाम्)

• mahātmanām: of great-souled ones
• mahātmanām: Genitive qualifier (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• sulabhaḥ: easily obtainable
• sulabhaḥ: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (liṃgarūpī)

• liṅga-rūpī: having the form of the liṅga
• liṅga-rūpī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गरूपः/लिङ्गरूपी)

• syāt: would be / is (in the sense of ‘is found to be’)
• syāt: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhavatām: for you (honorific), of you
• bhavatām: Genitive qualifier (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनामवत्, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; आदरार्थक ‘भवत्’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• su-durlabhaḥ: very hard to obtain
• su-durlabhaḥ: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (liṅgarūpī)

Speaker

Nandī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha Liṅga (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā and the assembled devas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandin indicates a radiant liṅga while serene ascetics stand in meditative posture; the liṅga appears luminous and ‘near’ to the tranquil, while the distracted remain at a distance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Liṅga
• Indriyas (senses)
• Mahātmans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liṅga-form Śiva is readily realized by the self-controlled and steady-minded; spiritual access depends on inner discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly Kedāra’s Śaiva sphere where Liṅga-worship is central; the verse stresses the inner fitness needed to receive its merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-upāsanā is implied, supported by prerequisites: sense-conquest, peace, and steadfast contemplation.