Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

शर्वाय क्षितिरूपाय सदा सुरभिणे नमः । ईशाय वायवे तुभ्यं संस्पर्शाय नमोनमः

Transliteration

śarvāya kṣitirūpāya sadā surabhiṇe namaḥ | īśāya vāyave tubhyaṃ saṃsparśāya namonamaḥ

Translation

礼敬舍婆（Śarva），其形为大地，恒常芬芳，滋养众生。复复礼敬于汝，噫湿（Īśa），汝为风，亦为触之本原。

Word by Word

• śarvāya: to Śarva
• śarvāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; दत्तिः

• kṣiti-rūpāya: to (you) whose form is earth
• kṣiti-rūpāya: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kṣiteḥ rūpam iva/रूपः) विशेषण (śarvāya)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• surabhiṇe: fragrant
• surabhiṇe: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: surabhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; विशेषण (śarvāya)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: नमस्कारार्थक अव्यय

• īśāya: to Īśa
• īśāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; दत्तिः

• vāyave: to Vāyu (wind)
• vāyave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; दत्तिः

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; दत्तिः

• saṃsparśāya: to touch/contact
• saṃsparśāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; दत्तिः

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: नमस्कारार्थक अव्यय

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-नमस्कार (repeated salutation)

Speaker

A Pāṇḍava (embedded devotee) praising Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī-nagara liṅga (stuti locus)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (as hymn-audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liṅga worship scene emphasizing fragrance and air: incense smoke curling, flower garlands, sandal paste; devotees feeling a cool breeze in the temple corridor during pradakṣiṇā; subtle depiction of earth (lotus pedestal) and wind (flowing drapery).

Characters & Entities

• Śarva
• Īśa
• Vāyu (wind)
• Kṣiti (earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeing the world’s elements as Śiva’s forms sanctifies ordinary experience and deepens reverence for creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The stuti supports the sanctity of the Mahī-nagara liṅga setting, within the chapter’s sacred-geography narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional praise (namas) identifying Śiva with elemental tattvas.