Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

येन रुद्रायते भक्त्या कुरुते मार्जनक्रियाम् । तस्मान्मार्जयते त्वेवं स्थाणुनैतत्परस्परम्

Transliteration

yena rudrāyate bhaktyā kurute mārjanakriyām | tasmānmārjayate tvevaṃ sthāṇunaitatparasparam

Translation

Par la dévotion grâce à laquelle le fidèle « devient semblable à Rudra » et accomplit le rite de purification, par cette même dévotion le Seigneur immobile, Sthāṇu, est comme purifié ; pourtant, en vérité, il ne s’agit pas d’une purification littérale et réciproque.

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental: by which/with which)

• रुद्रायते: becomes (like) Rudra
• रुद्रायते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद्राय (धातु/नामधातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; नामधातु ‘रुद्रायते’ = ‘acts as/behaves like Rudra’

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरुते: does/performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• मार्जनक्रियाम्: the act of cleaning
• मार्जनक्रियाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मार्जनस्य क्रिया)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative: from that/therefore)

• मार्जयते: cleans
• मार्जयते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; causative/denominative usage ‘to clean’ (मार्जयते)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषणार्थक (but/indeed)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• स्थाणुना: by/with Śthāṇu (Śiva)
• स्थाणुना: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (here: object/complement)

• परस्परम्: mutually
• परस्परम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, परस्परक्रियावाचक (mutually/each other)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A priest gently wipes and cleans the liṅga pedestal and sanctum floor; a subtle visual metaphor shows the devotee’s aura brightening, while Śiva as Sthāṇu remains serene and unchanged—indicating figurative ‘cleansing’.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Śiva
• Sthāṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service done in bhakti transforms the devotee; Śiva is ever-pure, so the ‘cleansing’ is symbolic of the devotee’s purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned; the teaching applies broadly to Śaiva temple service.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform mārjana (ritual cleaning) with Rudra-bhakti—devotional identification with Rudra—understanding its inner meaning.