Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

जापकानां सहस्राणि वैष्मवानां तथैव च । शैवानां च विधिं विष्णुं स्थाणुं चाप्यन्वमूमुचन्

Transliteration

jāpakānāṃ sahasrāṇi vaiṣmavānāṃ tathaiva ca | śaivānāṃ ca vidhiṃ viṣṇuṃ sthāṇuṃ cāpyanvamūmucan

Translation

وتبع آلافُ المداومين على الجَپا—من الفايشنَڤا وكذلك من الشايفا—ووقّروا «ڤِدهي» (براهما) وڤِشنو، و«سْثانو» (شِڤا) أيضًا.

Word by Word

• jāpakānām: of the reciters (of mantras)
• jāpakānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• sahasrāṇi: thousands
• sahasrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• vaiṣṇavānām: of the Vaiṣṇavas
• vaiṣṇavānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriya-Viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तथैव—‘in the same way’)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारणार्थक—‘indeed/just’)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

• śaivānām: of the Śaivas
• śaivānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

• vidhim: Brahmā (Vidhi)
• vidhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• sthāṇum: Śiva (Sthāṇu)
• sthāṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि—‘also’)

• anvamūmucan: they followed / pursued
• anvamūmucan: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√muc (मुच्)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/इम्परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘अनु’ उपसर्ग

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deductive, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast gathering of thousands of japa practitioners—some with Vaiṣṇava marks, some with Śaiva marks—moving together in reverence toward Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Japa (practice)
• Vaiṣṇavas
• Śaivas
• Vidhi (Brahmā)
• Viṣṇu
• Sthāṇu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is expansive: japa and worship can honor the divine functions harmoniously without sectarian hostility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse highlights devotional communities and their practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa (repetitive sacred recitation) is implicitly praised as a widespread discipline among Vaiṣṇavas and Śaivas.