Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कूर्मपृष्ठात्समुत्पाद्य आत्मयोगेन शंभुना । स्थितस्तत्रैव श्रीकण्ठः कालत्रयविदो विदुः

Transliteration

kūrmapṛṣṭhātsamutpādya ātmayogena śaṃbhunā | sthitastatraiva śrīkaṇṭhaḥ kālatrayavido viduḥ

Translation

شمبھو نے اپنے آتما-یوگ کے زور سے اسے کچھوے کی پیٹھ سے ظاہر کیا، اور وہیں شری کنٹھ قائم رہے۔ جو تینوں زمانوں (ماضی، حال، مستقبل) کے جاننے والے ہیں، وہ اس حقیقت کو جانتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• कूर्म-पृष्ठात्: from the tortoise’s back
• कूर्म-पृष्ठात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; कूर्मस्य पृष्ठम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• समुत्पाद्य: having produced / brought forth
• समुत्पाद्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ut-pād (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/absolutive)

• आत्म-योगेन: by his own yogic power
• आत्म-योगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनः योगः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• शंभुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुना: Kartr (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• स्थितः: stood / remained
• स्थितः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (स्था-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

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

• एव: indeed / right there
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• श्रीकण्ठः: Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva)
• श्रीकण्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; श्री- (शोभा/लक्ष्मी) + कण्ठ इति कर्मधारयः

• काल-त्रय-विदः: knowers of the three times
• काल-त्रय-विदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + traya + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कालत्रयस्य विदः (जानन्तः) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• विदुः: know / have known
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Indreśvara at Dharmāraṇya (kūrma-prādurbhāva)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tortoise (kūrma) appears as a sacred support; from its back, by Śiva’s yogic power, the liṅga is brought forth; Śrīkaṇṭha stands abiding, radiating calm; seers recognize the trikāla mystery.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śambhu, Śrīkaṇṭha)
• Kūrma (tortoise)
• Liṅga
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred is not merely symbolic: the Lord can manifest forms through yogic sovereignty, making a place permanently charged with sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, where Śiva’s manifested liṅga is said to arise in a wondrous manner.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse provides the miraculous origin narrative that supports faith in worship there.