Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49
शरणं शंकरं याताः परित्रातुं कृतोद्वहाः । यदा पुत्रो हि रुद्रस्य भविष्यति तदा वयम् । सुखिनः स्याम सर्वे निर्भयाश्च त्रिविष्टपे
śaraṇaṃ śaṃkaraṃ yātāḥ paritrātuṃ kṛtodvahāḥ | yadā putro hi rudrasya bhaviṣyati tadā vayam | sukhinaḥ syāma sarve nirbhayāśca triviṣṭape
Ayant pris refuge en Śaṅkara, résolus à être protégés, les dieux dirent : «Quand naîtra vraiment un fils de Rudra, alors nous serons tous heureux et sans crainte dans Triviṣṭapa (le ciel)».
Devas (the gods), within Sūta’s narration to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Viṣṇu (immediate addressee) / Śaṅkara (referenced as refuge)
Scene: Devas, having sought Śaṅkara’s refuge, speak with renewed hope: the future birth of Rudra’s son will make heaven fearless and joyful.
FAQs
Safety and well-being are secured through śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in Śaṅkara—who restores dharma and cosmic balance.
The immediate verse is theological (refuge in Śiva); within Kedārakhaṇḍa, the broader frame glorifies Kedāra and the Himalayan sacred geography.
No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on refuge (śaraṇa) and reliance on Śiva’s salvific power.