Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

शाकद्वीपे च वर्ष ऋतव्रतसत्यव्रतानुव्रतनामानो वाय्यवात्कमं भगवंतं जपंति

Transliteration

śākadvīpe ca varṣa ṛtavratasatyavratānuvratanāmāno vāyyavātkamaṃ bhagavaṃtaṃ japaṃti

Translation

And in Śākadvīpa, in the regions named Ṛtavrata, Satyavrata, and Anuvrata, they worship by japa the Blessed Lord Vāyyavātkama.

Word by Word

• śākadvīpe: in Śākadvīpa
• śākadvīpe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāka + dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (locative determinative): ‘Śāka’ + ‘island’; Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• varṣe: in the region (varṣa)
• varṣe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) (context: ‘in the varṣa/region’)

• ṛtavrata-satyavrata-anuvrata-nāmānaḥ: (people) named Ṛtavrata, Satyavrata, and Anuvrata
• ṛtavrata-satyavrata-anuvrata-nāmānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtavrata + satyavrata + anuvrata + nāman (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि/नामधारक-समास: ‘having the names Ṛtavrata, Satyavrata, Anuvrata’; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vāyyavātkamam: Vāyyavātkama (a deity/epithet)
• vāyyavātkamam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyyavātkama (प्रातिपदिक; proper name/epithet)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhagavantam: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavantam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• japanti: they recite/chant
• japanti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्, जपने)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śākadvīpa (cosmic dvīpa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Wind-swept sacred landscape of Śākadvīpa: ascetics/inhabitants seated in rows performing japa; a subtle, personified Vāyu-like deity presence (aura, flowing scarves) indicating Vāyyavātkama.

Characters & Entities

• Śākadvīpa
• Ṛtavrata
• Satyavrata
• Anuvrata
• Vāyyavātkama
• Japa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even across cosmic regions, devotion is centered on disciplined remembrance—japa as a universal dharmic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not an earthly tīrtha; Śākadvīpa and its varṣas are cosmological realms described in Purāṇic geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa (repetitive sacred chanting/recitation) of the Lord Vāyyavātkama.