Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

नमो रुद्राय भीमाय नीलकण्ठाय वेधसे । कपर्द्धिने सुरेशाय व्योमकेशाय वै नमः

Transliteration

namo rudrāya bhīmāya nīlakaṇṭhāya vedhase | kaparddhine sureśāya vyomakeśāya vai namaḥ

Translation

سلامٌ لرودرا، المُهيب المُخيف؛ سلامٌ لنيلاكنثا، ذي الحلق الأزرق؛ سلامٌ لڤيدهاس، المُدبِّر؛ سلامٌ لكَپَردين، ذي الخُصل المعقودة؛ سلامٌ لسورِيشا، ربّ الآلهة؛ وسلامٌ حقًّا لڤيومَكيشا، الذي شعرُه السماء.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojaka (Salutation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (अव्यय) — particle of salutation; governs dative

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• भीमाय: to Bhīma (the terrible one)
• भीमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नीलकण्ठाय: to Nīlakaṇṭha (blue-throated)
• नीलकण्ठाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वेधसे: to the creator/ordainer
• वेधसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• कपर्द्धिने: to the matted-haired one
• कपर्द्धिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्द्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सुरेशाय: to the lord of the gods
• सुरेशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• व्योमकेशाय: to him whose hair is the sky
• व्योमकेशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (अव्यय) — emphatic particle

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojaka (Salutation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (अव्यय) — particle of salutation

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotee-audience/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chanter before the liṅga intones ‘namo rudrāya bhīmāya…’, while visions of Rudra’s forms—blue throat, matted locks, sky-like hair—arise in the mind’s eye.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Nīlakaṇṭha
• Kapardin
• Sureśa
• Vyomakeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering Śiva through His many names reveals His cosmic powers—fearsome, compassionate, and all-pervading.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, where such name-praise is prescribed in the Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stuti through divine epithets—reciting names of Rudra as part of worship.