Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

रुद्रस्यापि वयं मान्याः कीदृशं ते तपो वद । विषमस्थं यत्र विप्रं म्रियमाणमुपेक्षसि

Transliteration

rudrasyāpi vayaṃ mānyāḥ kīdṛśaṃ te tapo vada | viṣamasthaṃ yatra vipraṃ mriyamāṇamupekṣasi

Translation

“Even to Rudra we are worthy of honor. Tell me—what sort of austerity is yours, that you neglect a brāhmaṇa in distress, dying before you?”

Word by Word

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मान्याः: honourable, respected
• मान्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (worthy of respect)

• कीदृशम्: what kind of
• कीदृशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विषमस्थम्: being in distress/uneven condition
• विषमस्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (विषमे स्थः)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• विप्रम्: a brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• म्रियमाणम्: dying
• म्रियमाणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (dying)

• उपेक्षसि: you ignore, you neglect
• उपेक्षसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Acalā/that ascetic-goddess figure

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa in peril, weakened and near death, rebukes the powerful ascetic/goddess figure: ‘What tapas is this that ignores me?’ Rudra’s presence is implied as cosmic witness.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra/Śiva
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity without compassion is hollow; dharma demands protecting and aiding those in distress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is discussed ethically—measured by compassion and duty rather than mere self-mortification.