Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

जपस्तपः क्रिया योगः स्नानं दानार्चनादिकम् । क्रियते यच्छृभं कर्म्म ह्यनंतं चाक्षधारणात्

Transliteration

japastapaḥ kriyā yogaḥ snānaṃ dānārcanādikam | kriyate yacchṛbhaṃ karmma hyanaṃtaṃ cākṣadhāraṇāt

Translation

Japa, austérité, rite, yoga, bain sacré, don, adoration et autres—tout acte de bon augure accompli devient inépuisable par le port du rudrākṣa.

Word by Word

• जपः: recitation
• जपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रिया: ritual act
• क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दान: giving
• दान: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• अर्चन: worship
• अर्चन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• आदिकम्: and the like
• आदिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘etc.’ अर्थे

• क्रियते: is performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (is done)

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (that which)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्म: act/deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• अनन्तम्: endless/infinite
• अनन्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अक्षधारणात्: from wearing the beads
• अक्षधारणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष + धारण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अक्षस्य धारणम्)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), in narration to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-mahātmya (rudrākṣa as portable tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage-like sacred tableau: a devotee wearing rudrākṣa performs multiple practices—japa with mālā, tapas in meditation, ritual offerings into fire, yoga posture, river bathing, giving alms, and Śiva-arcana—while a luminous thread connects them, labeled ‘ananta-phala’.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred supports (like rudrākṣa) are portrayed as amplifying the spiritual potency of diverse dharmic practices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kedārakhaṇḍa’s praise of Śaiva practice; it does not single out a named tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wear rudrākṣa while performing japa, tapas, yoga, snāna, dāna, and arcana to make the merit ‘endless’.