Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अनेनैव च मंत्रेण प्रार्थनीयो जगत्पतिः । एकभक्तं प्रकुर्वीत तच्च भक्तं च केवलम्

Transliteration

anenaiva ca maṃtreṇa prārthanīyo jagatpatiḥ | ekabhaktaṃ prakurvīta tacca bhaktaṃ ca kevalam

Translation

Mit eben diesem Mantra soll der Herr der Welt ehrfürchtig angefleht werden. Man halte ekabhakta: nur eine einzige Mahlzeit, und nur diese—sonst nichts.

Word by Word

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक (instrumental singular of idam)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मन्त्रेण: by the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• प्रार्थनीयः: should be prayed to
• प्रार्थनीयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रार्थनीय (कृदन्त; √अर्थ्/प्रार्थ् (धातु) + अनीय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive/ought to be prayed to)

• जगत्पतिः: Lord of the world
• जगत्पतिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jagataḥ patiḥ)

• एकभक्तम्: one meal (single feeding)
• एकभक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (one + meal/food)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform/undertake
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (that)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भक्तम्: food/meal
• भक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• केवलम्: only/solely
• केवलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (only/sole)

Speaker

Kaśyapa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan shrine setting: a devotee seated facing a liṅga/temple, hands in añjali, reciting a mantra; a simple single-meal arrangement nearby emphasizing restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Jagatpati (Viṣṇu)
• Mantra
• Ekabhakta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is strengthened through measured restraint; mantra and self-control together become a complete act of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it is part of the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s vrata instruction sequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pray with the given mantra and observe ekabhakta—consume only one meal and nothing beyond that.