Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 116

Devanagari script

पशुपाशविमोक्षार्थं पूजयेत्तन्मना यदि । य एवं यजते रुद्रं तेनैतत्तर्पितं जगत्

Transliteration

paśupāśavimokṣārthaṃ pūjayettanmanā yadi | ya evaṃ yajate rudraṃ tenaitattarpitaṃ jagat

Translation

If, with a mind absorbed in Him, one worships for the sake of releasing the bound soul (paśu) from its bonds (pāśa)—whoever thus worships Rudra, by him this entire world is as though satisfied and nourished.

Word by Word

• पशु: living being; soul (bound being)
• पशु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• पाश: bond; fetter
• पाश: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• विमोक्षार्थम्: for the purpose of liberation
• विमोक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विमोक्षस्य अर्थः)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• मनाः: mind; intention
• मनाः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासान्त-रूप; बहुव्रीहौ/कर्मधारये प्रयोगः)

• तन्मनाः: with mind fixed on that (devotion)
• तन्मनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘तस्मिन् मनः यस्य सः’ = whose mind is fixed on that

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus; in this manner
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• यजते: worships; performs sacrifice to
• यजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रुद्रम्: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him; through that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• तर्पितम्: satisfied; gratified
• तर्पितम्: Kriya (Result/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्तर्पितम्: this (becomes) satisfied
• एतत्तर्पितम्: Kriya (Result/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तृप् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: कर्मधारयः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘एतत् तर्पितम्’

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājan/pārthiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee with folded hands performs Rudra-pūjā in deep concentration; subtle imagery of bonds (pāśa) loosening from the soul, while the wider world—people, animals, rivers, forests—appears ‘nourished’ by the offering’s radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Paśu
• Pāśa
• Jagat

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-minded Rudra worship aimed at freedom from bondage is framed as spiritually universal—benefiting the whole cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named; the emphasis is theological (paśu–pāśa liberation through Rudra worship).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā with tan-manā (absorbed concentration) directed toward liberation from bondage.