Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

भिक्षाटनं कृतं येन पुरा दारुवने विभुः । शप्तोयं भिक्षुको रुद्रो भवद्भिः सखिभिस्तदा

Transliteration

bhikṣāṭanaṃ kṛtaṃ yena purā dāruvane vibhuḥ | śaptoyaṃ bhikṣuko rudro bhavadbhiḥ sakhibhistadā

Translation

Er, der einst als der Herr im Daru-Wald um Almosen wanderte: Dieser Rudra, als Bettelmönch erschienen, wurde damals von euch und euren Gefährten verflucht.

Word by Word

• भिक्षाटनम्: begging-round, mendicancy
• भिक्षाटनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षाटन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• कृतम्: done, performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• दारुवने: in the Dāru forest
• दारुवने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दारूणां वनम्)

• विभुः: the Lord, the mighty one
• विभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• शप्तः: cursed
• शप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भिक्षुकः: mendicant, beggar
• भिक्षुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘भिक्षुकः’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• भवद्भिः: by you (honorific, plural)
• भवद्भिः: Kartr (Agent of passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोग

• सखिभिः: by (your) friends
• सखिभिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Devī (deduced continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāruvana (as remembered sacred episode within Kedāra teaching)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā and/or the assembly in Kedāra narrative (Brahmā implicated by ‘you and your companions’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra as a radiant mendicant (bhikṣuka) wandering in Dāruvana; forest-dwelling sages and their companions react with suspicion and pronounce a curse—tension between outer propriety and inner divinity.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Dāruvana (Dāru forest)
• Mendicant form (Bhikṣuka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Misjudging the divine in humble disguise leads to grave error; true discernment recognizes Śiva beyond appearances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dāruvana is referenced as a mythic locale; within Kedārakhaṇḍa, such episodes reinforce Śiva’s greatness that sanctifies pilgrimage places like Kedāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse cautions against irreverence and supports the necessity of proper worship and recognition.