Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

विभूतिभूषणो नित्यं नित्यरुद्राक्षभूषणः । रुद्रसूक्तपरो नित्यं नित्यं लिंगार्चकोभवत्

Transliteration

vibhūtibhūṣaṇo nityaṃ nityarudrākṣabhūṣaṇaḥ | rudrasūktaparo nityaṃ nityaṃ liṃgārcakobhavat

Translation

Il portait sans cesse la vibhūti (cendre sacrée) pour parure, et se parait toujours de grains de rudrākṣa ; constamment voué aux hymnes de Rudra, il devint un adorateur du Liṅga à toute heure.

Word by Word

• विभूतिभूषणः: one whose ornament is sacred ash
• विभूतिभूषणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विभूतेः भूषणम्)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नित्यरुद्राक्षभूषणः: one adorned with rudrākṣa beads always
• नित्यरुद्राक्षभूषणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (नित्यं रुद्राक्षं भूषणं यस्य/रुद्राक्षभूषणः)

• रुद्रसूक्तपरः: devoted to the Rudra hymns
• रुद्रसूक्तपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रसूक्ते परः = devoted to Rudra-hymns)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• लिङ्गार्चकः: worshipper of the liṅga
• लिङ्गार्चकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य अर्चकः)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śaiva devotee in Kāśī, body marked with vibhūti, rudrākṣa garlands on neck and arms, seated near a liṅga shrine, chanting Rudra-hymns while offering water and bilva leaves.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa (implied)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Rudrākṣa
• Vibhūti
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaiva identity and liberation-oriented living are sustained through daily symbols and practices: vibhūti, rudrākṣa, Rudra-recitation, and liṅga-pūjā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practices are described in the Kāśī context around Vyāseśvara, though the verse emphasizes sādhana more than a single spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular Rudra-sūkta recitation and nitya-liṅga-arcana (daily worship of the Śiva-liṅga).