Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

रुद्राक्षधारणं पुण्यं केन वा सदृशं भवेत् । महाव्रतमिदं प्राहुर्मुनयस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः

Transliteration

rudrākṣadhāraṇaṃ puṇyaṃ kena vā sadṛśaṃ bhavet | mahāvratamidaṃ prāhurmunayastattvadarśinaḥ

Translation

Das Verdienst, Rudrākṣa zu tragen—womit ließe es sich vergleichen? Die wahrheitsschauenden Weisen nennen dies ein „großes Gelübde“ (mahā-vrata).

Word by Word

• rudrākṣa-dhāraṇam: wearing of Rudrākṣa
• rudrākṣa-dhāraṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्राक्षस्य धारणम्)

• puṇyam: meritorious
• puṇyam: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• kena: by what/with what
• kena: Karaṇa (Instrument/Comparison basis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• vā: indeed/or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प/अनिश्चयबोधक

• sadṛśam: similar/equal
• sadṛśam: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; predicate adjective (‘equal/similar’)

• bhavet: could be
• bhavet: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• mahā-vratam: great vow
• mahā-vratam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative used adjectivally

• prāhuḥ: they have declared
• prāhuḥ: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• munayaḥ: sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• tattva-darśinaḥ: seers of truth
• tattva-darśinaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + darśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तत्त्वं पश्यन्ति) used adjectivally for munayaḥ

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa (mahā-vrata)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages with matted hair and rudrākṣa malas, declaring the vow’s greatness; a central rudrākṣa strand depicted like a sacred axis; aura of tapas and resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrākṣa
• Munis (sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred Shaiva observances can be embodied through simple practices; Rudrākṣa-wearing is elevated to the status of a major vow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the glorification is of the practice (Rudrākṣa dhāraṇa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhāraṇa (wearing) of Rudrākṣa, honored as a mahā-vrata.