Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वैनतेयश्च देवेशि ज्ञात्वा क्षेत्रं तु वैष्णवम् । लिंगं प्रतिष्ठयामास सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

Transliteration

vainateyaśca deveśi jñātvā kṣetraṃ tu vaiṣṇavam | liṃgaṃ pratiṣṭhayāmāsa sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

Translation

தேவேசி, வைநதேயன் (கருடன்) இக்க்ஷேத்திரம் வைஷ்ணவ புண்ணியப் பகுதி என அறிந்து, எல்லாப் பாவங்களையும் அழிக்கும் சிவலிங்கத்தை பிரதிஷ்டை செய்தான்.

Word by Word

• वैनतेयः: Vainateya (Garuda)
• वैनतेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• देवेशि: O mistress of the gods
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशी); Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) अव्यय; √ज्ञा + क्त्वा; 'having known'

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle)

• वैष्णवम्: Vishnu-related
• वैष्णवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with क्षेत्रम्; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिष्ठयामास: established
• प्रतिष्ठयामास: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative stem (णिच्) 'to establish' + लिट्; Perfect, Active, 3rd person, Singular

• सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + प्रणाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां पापानां प्रणाशनम्); adjective of लिङ्गम्; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Garuḍeśvara (Vainateya-pratiṣṭhita-liṅga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Garuḍa, recognizing the Vaiṣṇava nature of the region, installs a Śiva-liṅga; the act is portrayed as a powerful consecration that annihilates sins.

Characters & Entities

• Vainateya (Garuḍa)
• Devī
• Vaiṣṇava kṣetra
• Liṅga (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places transcend sectarian boundaries: in a Vaiṣṇava kṣetra, a Śaiva liṅga can also be established for universal purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Garuḍeśvara—associated with Vainateya’s installation of a sin-destroying liṅga in Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā is referenced as the foundational sacred act performed by Garuḍa.