Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 107

Devanagari script

वृत्रं हत्वा पुरा शक्रो महेंद्रे स्थाप्य शंकरम् । लिंगं विमुक्तपापोऽथ त्रिदिवेद्यापि मोदते

Transliteration

vṛtraṃ hatvā purā śakro maheṃdre sthāpya śaṃkaram | liṃgaṃ vimuktapāpo'tha tridivedyāpi modate

Translation

ครั้นกาลก่อน เมื่อศักระสังหารวฤตระแล้ว ก็ทรงสถาปนาพระศังกรเป็นลึงค์ ณ มเหนทร; ครั้นพ้นบาปแล้ว พระองค์ยังชื่นบานอยู่ในไตรทิพย์ตราบวันนี้

Word by Word

• वृत्रम्: Vṛtra
• वृत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having slain’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महेंद्रे: at Mahendra
• महेंद्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मह + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘मह-इन्द्र’ = great Indra / Mahendra (place/mountain)

• स्थाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• स्थाप्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund) (पर्याय-रूप: स्थाप्य); ‘having स्थापित/installed’

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विमुक्तपापः: freed from sin
• विमुक्तपापः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-मुक्त + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापेभ्यः विमुक्तः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रसङ्ग-अव्यय (then/now)

• त्रिदिवे: in heaven
• त्रिदिवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• इद्य: praiseworthy / honored
• इद्य: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘इद्य’ = स्तुत्य/पूज्य (praiseworthy) (पाठभेदे ‘त्रिदिवेऽद्य’ इति)

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

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahendra (Mahendragiri) Śaṅkara-liṅga (implied)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a lofty mountain peak, Indra (Śakra) sets down his vajra and installs a Śaṅkara-liṅga; clouds part to reveal Svarga, and the mood shifts from battle-weariness to purified joy.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Vṛtra
• Mahendra
• Śaṅkara
• Heaven (Tridiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liṅga स्थापना is portrayed as a powerful means of pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin) and restoration of divine joy.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Mahendra is named as the place where Indra established the Śaṅkara-liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Establishing a Śiva-liṅga as an act of expiation (prāyaścitta) is implied through Indra’s example.