Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

संस्थापितानि लिंगानि चतुर्वक्त्राणि तत्र वै । राक्षसेंद्रैः स्वमन्त्रैस्तैस्तस्य क्षेत्रस्य पश्चिमे

Transliteration

saṃsthāpitāni liṃgāni caturvaktrāṇi tatra vai | rākṣaseṃdraiḥ svamantraistaistasya kṣetrasya paścime

Translation

ณ ส่วนตะวันตกของแดนศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้น เหล่าจอมรากษสได้สถาปนาลึงค์สี่พักตร์ ด้วยมนตร์ของตนเอง

Word by Word

• संस्थापितानि: were स्थापित/installed
• संस्थापितानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था + णिच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्तः (causative sense: स्थापित); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (past participle, nominative plural neuter)

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (Śiva-emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (nominative plural neuter)

• चतुर्वक्त्राणि: four-faced
• चतुर्वक्त्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/तत्पुरुषभावः (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य/येषाम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (nominative plural neuter, qualifying लिङ्गानि)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (particle: indeed)

• राक्षसेन्द्रैः: by the lords of rākṣasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानाम् इन्द्राः); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural masculine)

• स्वमन्त्रैः: with their own mantras
• स्वमन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (स्वाः मन्त्राः); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural masculine)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural masculine)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (genitive singular: of that)

• क्षेत्रस्य: of the region
• क्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (genitive singular neuter)

• पश्चिमे: in the west
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (locative singular: in the west/western side)

Speaker

Petitioners/reporters to King Kuśa (continuation of the report)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara (western sector sub-shrines)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kuśa (addressed earlier as nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the western quarter of the sacred field, rākṣasa chiefs perform a consecration rite: a newly raised liṅga with four faces (suggesting Brahmā-like caturmukha iconography) stands on a pedestal; offerings, fire, and mantra-gestures surround it.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Rākṣasa-lords
• Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer ritual forms can be misused; purity of intention and dharmic authorization matter in kṣetra-worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode continues within Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, specifying its western side.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions mantra-based installation of liṅgas, but as a problematic act performed by rākṣasa-lords, not as a recommended rite.