Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

रहेहरेति वै नाम्ना शंभोश्चक्रधरस्य च । रक्षिता बहवो मर्त्याः शिवेन परमात्मना

Transliteration

rahehareti vai nāmnā śaṃbhoścakradharasya ca | rakṣitā bahavo martyāḥ śivena paramātmanā

Translation

Par le cri sacré «Rahe Hare», un Nom associé à Śambhu et aussi au Porteur du Cakra, bien des mortels furent protégés par Śiva, le Soi suprême.

Word by Word

• रहेहर: “rahehara” (a name/cry)
• रहेहर: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहेहर (प्रातिपदिक/नाम; मन्त्र-शब्द)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; उद्धरण-रूपेण (नाम-रूपम्)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• नाम्ना: by the name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• चक्रधरस्य: of the discus-bearer
• चक्रधरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चक्रं धरति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रक्षिता: were protected
• रक्षिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (बहवः इत्यनेन सह); कर्मणि/कर्तरि भावः—‘were protected’

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• परमात्मना: by the Supreme Self
• परमात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims caught in peril on a mountain path cry ‘Rahe Hare’; a luminous Śiva presence shields them, while a subtle cakra motif appears in the aura, signaling the name’s dual association.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Śiva
• Paramātman
• Cakradhara (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembrance of the Divine Name functions as protection; the Purāṇa emphasizes saving grace through heartfelt invocation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, as the chapter’s setting where the protective power of divine remembrance is praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa/ucchāraṇa of a divine name-formula (“Rahe Hare”) is recommended as a protective practice.