Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणं प्रकुर्वीत शतमष्टोत्तरं तथा । नमस्कारान्प्रकुर्वीत तावत्संख्यान्प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇaṃ prakurvīta śatamaṣṭottaraṃ tathā | namaskārānprakurvīta tāvatsaṃkhyānprayatnataḥ

Translation

Qu’on accomplisse la pradakṣiṇā cent huit fois; et, avec le même zèle, qu’on fasse autant de prosternations (namaskāras).

Word by Word

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Numeral used adjectivally; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अष्टोत्तरम्: plus eight (i.e., 108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्यावाचक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; ‘eight more (than)’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — manner adverb

• नमस्कारान्: salutations
• नमस्कारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• तावत्: so many (that many)
• तावत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; परिमाणवाचक

• सङ्ख्यान्: counts/numbers (times)
• सङ्ख्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort/diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb ‘with effort’

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-seeking audience (ṛṣis/devotees)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims circle the Kedāra shrine repeatedly, counting 108 rounds; others perform full prostrations on stone paths, breath visible in cold air, bells sounding intermittently.

Characters & Entities

• Pradakṣiṇā
• Namaskāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is strengthened through disciplined bodily worship—repeated circumambulation and prostration cultivate humility and focus.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, the Śaiva pilgrimage setting of the Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform 108 pradakṣiṇās and 108 namaskāras as part of worship.