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

Wer jedoch, standhaft im Gelübde, tausend Rudrākṣas trägt: Vor ihm verneigen sich alle Götter, wie sie sich vor Rudra verneigen; so wird auch er Rudra gleich.

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.