Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

संस्नाप्यैतन्महालिंगं चन्दनेन विलिप्य च । संपूज्य पुष्पैर्विविधैर्गुग्गुलं दाहयेत्पुरः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो रुद्रलोके महीयते

Transliteration

saṃsnāpyaitanmahāliṃgaṃ candanena vilipya ca | saṃpūjya puṣpairvividhairguggulaṃ dāhayetpuraḥ | sarvapāpavinirmukto rudraloke mahīyate

Translation

เมื่อสรงมหาลิงคะนี้ ทาด้วยจันทน์ บูชาด้วยดอกไม้นานาชนิด แล้วจุดธูปกุคคุลุไว้เบื้องหน้า ผู้นั้นย่อมพ้นบาปทั้งปวง และได้รับการเทิดทูนในโลกของพระรุทระ

Word by Word

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed (it)
• संस्नाप्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्ना (धातु) + य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having bathed/abluted)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘महालिङ्गम्’ इति विशेषण

• महालिङ्गम्: the great liṅga
• महालिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चन्दनेन: with sandalwood (paste)
• चन्दनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विलिप्य: having smeared
• विलिप्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लिप् (धातु) + य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having smeared/anointed)

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

• संपूज्य: having worshipped
• संपूज्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु) + य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having worshipped)

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘पुष्पैः’ इति विशेषण

• गुग्गुलम्: guggulu (resin/incense)
• गुग्गुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुग्गुलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (द्रव्यवाचक), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दाहयेत्: should burn/offer (by burning)
• दाहयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative: ‘cause to burn/offer by burning’)

• पुरः: in front (of it)
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front)

• सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः: freed from all sins
• सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + वि + नि + मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘महीयते’ इत्यस्य कर्ता; विनिर्मुक्त = भूतकृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (freed)

• रुद्रलोके: in Rudra’s world
• रुद्रलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महीयते: is honored, is glorified
• महीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is honored/is glorified)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautameśvara Mahāliṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kuru-foremost (Kurūd-vaha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs abhiṣeka on the Mahāliṅga, then applies sandalpaste, heaps multicolored flowers, and burns guggulu incense in front; the sanctum is filled with fragrant smoke and lamp-light; a vision of Rudraloka or Śiva’s blessing is suggested above.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahāliṅga)
• Rudra
• Guggulu
• Gautameśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple, sincere ritual service to Śiva—bathing, anointing, offering flowers and incense—purifies sin and leads to exalted spiritual destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shrine of the ‘mahāliṅga’ identified with Gautameśvara in this adhyāya’s local sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka (bathing the liṅga), candana-lepana (sandal anointing), puṣpārcana (flower worship), and guggulu-dhūpa (burning guggulu incense) are prescribed.