Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

रावणस्य कबंधं च तदग्रे च समीपतः । योगधारणया युक्तं परमेण समाधिना

Transliteration

rāvaṇasya kabaṃdhaṃ ca tadagre ca samīpataḥ | yogadhāraṇayā yuktaṃ parameṇa samādhinā

Translation

And there, near the front, stood Rāvaṇa’s headless trunk—steadfast, upheld by yogic concentration and absorbed in the highest samādhi.

Word by Word

• rāvaṇasya: of Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन — masculine genitive singular

• kabaṃdham: the trunk (headless body)
• kabaṃdham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kabaṃdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — masculine accusative singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tat-agre: in front of that
• tat-agre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — locative singular; 'in front of that'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• samīpataḥ: nearby, in proximity
• samīpataḥ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samīpatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• yoga-dhāraṇayā: by yogic concentration
• yoga-dhāraṇayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga + dhāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — instrumental singular; 'by yogic concentration/retention'

• yuktam: endowed, joined
• yuktam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj युज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2nd/1st case), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — neuter singular; 'endowed/connected' (agreeing with an implied neuter object)

• parameṇa: supreme
• parameṇa: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; 'samādhinā' इति विशेषण — instrumental singular adjective

• samādhinā: by deep meditation (samādhi)
• samādhinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन — masculine instrumental singular

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gokarṇa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Divine assembly and audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A headless trunk of Rāvaṇa stands or sits unwavering before the liṅga, held by yogic concentration; the scene is eerily still, suffused with sacred power.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Yoga
• Samādhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tapas is inner steadiness—yogic concentration that remains unshaken even amid extreme austerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, the sacred Śaiva landscape praised in Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes dhāraṇā and samādhi as the inner discipline supporting worship.