Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

सहस्रं धारयेद्यस्तु रुद्राक्षाणां धृतव्रतः । तं नमंति सुराः सर्वे यथा रुद्रस्तथैव सः

Transliteration

sahasraṃ dhārayedyastu rudrākṣāṇāṃ dhṛtavrataḥ | taṃ namaṃti surāḥ sarve yathā rudrastathaiva saḥ

Translation

وأما من ثبت على نذره فلبس ألفَ حبّةٍ من الرودراكشا؛ فإن جميع الآلهة ينحنون له كما ينحنون لرودرا، وكذلك يصير هو شبيهًا برودرا.

Word by Word

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; numeral used as object

• dhārayet: should wear/hold
• dhārayet: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधबोधक

• rudrākṣāṇām: of Rudrākṣa beads
• rudrākṣāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• dhṛta-vrataḥ: one who has undertaken the vow
• dhṛta-vrataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛta (कृदन्त; धृ-धातोः क्त) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (‘whose vow is held/undertaken’)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• namanti: bow to
• namanti: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• surāḥ: gods
• surāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; agrees with surāḥ

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारबोधक (comparative particle)

• rudraḥ: Rudra (Śiva)
• rudraḥ: Upamāna (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• tathā: so/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूपबोधक (correlative particle)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Upameya (Compared entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa (sahasra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A steadfast ascetic wearing abundant rudrākṣa strands (symbolic thousand), standing serene; devas in the sky with folded hands bowing; behind him a radiant Rudra form mirroring his posture, suggesting Rudra-sāmya.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Surāḥ (Devas)
• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intensive, vow-bound Shaiva practice is portrayed as transformative, conferring dignity and Rudra-like sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse focuses on the merit of Rudrākṣa dhāraṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wearing a thousand Rudrākṣas as part of a firm vrata.