Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

गणेन मम देवेशि तत्कृत्वा दुष्करं तपः । तेन चण्डेश्वरं लिंगं प्रख्यातं धरणीतले

Transliteration

gaṇena mama deveśi tatkṛtvā duṣkaraṃ tapaḥ | tena caṇḍeśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ prakhyātaṃ dharaṇītale

Translation

హే దేవేశీ! నా గణుడు అక్కడ దుష్కరమైన తపస్సు చేశాడు; అతని కారణంగా ఆ లింగం భూమిపై ‘చండేశ్వర’మని ప్రసిద్ధి పొందింది।

Word by Word

• गणेन: by the gaṇa/attendant group
• गणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Genitive singular

• देवेशि: O goddess (lady of the gods)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (object of कृत्वा)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) — ‘having done’

• दुष्करं: difficult
• दुष्करं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (qualifying तपः)

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

• तेन: by that / thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• चण्डेश्वरं: Caṇḍeśvara
• चण्डेश्वरं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• लिङ्गं: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• प्रख्यातं: renowned, well-known
• प्रख्यातं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — agreeing with लिङ्गम्

• धरणीतले: on the surface of the earth
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + तल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Locative singular

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Caṇḍeśvara-liṅga (Prabhāsa)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce yet devoted Śiva-gaṇa performs difficult austerities near a liṅga; the liṅga radiates subtle glory, indicating its fame across the earth.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva’s Gaṇa
• Devī
• Caṇḍeśvara
• Liṅga
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Severe tapas consecrates space and establishes enduring sacred reputation; spiritual effort leaves a lasting imprint upon the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, specifically the Caṇḍeśvara liṅga made renowned through a gaṇa’s austerities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse highlights tapas (austerity) as the sanctifying force behind the shrine’s fame.