Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तत्रावतीर्य गोवत्सस्वरूपेणांबिकापतिः । स्वयंभूलिंगरूपेण संस्थितो जगतां पतिः

Transliteration

tatrāvatīrya govatsasvarūpeṇāṃbikāpatiḥ | svayaṃbhūliṃgarūpeṇa saṃsthito jagatāṃ patiḥ

Translation

وہاں امبیکا کے پتی نے بچھڑے کے روپ میں اوتار لیا، اور جہانوں کے مالک نے خود ظہور پذیر لِنگ کی صورت میں وہاں استقرار فرمایا۔

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक adverb)

• अवतीर्य: having descended
• अवतीर्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• गोवत्सस्वरूपेण: in the form of a calf (Govatsa-form)
• गोवत्सस्वरूपेण: Karana (Means/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गोवत्सस्य स्वरूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अम्बिकापतिः: the husband of Ambikā (Śiva)
• अम्बिकापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अम्बिकायाः पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• स्वयंभू: self-born; self-manifest
• स्वयंभू: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (पतिः)

• लिङ्गरूपेण: in the form of a liṅga
• लिङ्गरूपेण: Karana (Mode/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लिङ्गस्य रूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संस्थितः: stood; was established
• संस्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रियासमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (पतिः)

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration; speaker not re-stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Govatsa-tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a serene ford, Śiva (Ambikāpati) appears as a radiant calf stepping into the waters; nearby, a svayaṃbhū-liṅga rises from the earth/rock, emitting light; devotees and sages witness in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Ambikāpati (Śiva)
• Svayaṃbhū Liṅga
• Govatsa (calf-form)
• Govatsa-tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is grounded in divine presence: Śiva’s self-manifestation sanctifies the landscape and makes it a living shrine.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Govatsa-tīrtha, where Śiva is said to be established as a Svayaṃbhū Liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is commanded here; it provides the theological basis for worship—darśana and liṅga-pūjā—at this spot.