Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

लोकानां च हितार्थाय केदारं लिंगमुत्तमम् । अत्रीशादुत्तरे भागे महापातकनाशनम्

Transliteration

lokānāṃ ca hitārthāya kedāraṃ liṃgamuttamam | atrīśāduttare bhāge mahāpātakanāśanam

Translation

เพื่อเกื้อกูลแก่สรรพโลก ณ ที่นี้มีลึงค์เกดารอันประเสริฐ ตั้งอยู่ทางทิศเหนือแห่งอัตรีศะ และเป็นผู้ทำลายมหาบาปทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• लोकानाम्: of the people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Beneficiary relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• हितार्थाय: for (their) welfare
• हितार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case/dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (हितस्य अर्थः)

• केदारम्: Kedāra
• केदारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kedāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अत्रीशात्: from Atrīśa
• अत्रीशात्: Apadana (Reference point/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atrīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/ablative), एकवचन

• उत्तरे: in the northern
• उत्तरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भागे: part/region
• भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• महापातकनाशनम्: destroyer of great sins
• महापातकनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + pātaka + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (महापातकस्य नाशनम्) विशेषण (of liṅga)

Speaker

Nārada (contextual, in dialogue with Arjuna across this narrative unit)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-liṅga (local Kedāra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A directional pilgrimage cue: the narrator points northward from Atrīśa toward a revered Kedāra liṅga; the liṅga radiates power to destroy great sins, symbolized by dark clouds dissolving into light.

Characters & Entities

• Kedāra Liṅga
• Atrīśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s liṅga as a tīrtha is portrayed as universally beneficent, granting purification even from grave sins through devotion and pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra Liṅga, located to the north of Atrīśa within the Mahīnagaraka/Nīlakaṇṭha sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse emphasizes the site’s sin-destroying power and its location.