Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

शुनः कंठनिबद्धोऽपि रुद्राक्षो यदि वर्तते । सोऽपि संतारितस्तेन नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

śunaḥ kaṃṭhanibaddho'pi rudrākṣo yadi vartate | so'pi saṃtāritastena nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

Bahkan bila rudrākṣa terikat di leher seekor anjing, makhluk itu pun diseberangkan (diselamatkan) olehnya; di sini tidak perlu keraguan atau perdebatan.

Word by Word

• शुनः: of a dog
• शुनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कण्ठ: neck
• कण्ठ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• निबद्धः: tied/bound
• निबद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + बन्ध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bound/tied’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even/also)

• रुद्राक्षः: a Rudrākṣa (bead)
• रुद्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Avyaya (Connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त (conditional ‘if’)

• वर्तते: exists/remains
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• संतारितः: is delivered
• संतारितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + तॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘saved/delivered’

• तेन: by that (means)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• अत्र: here/in this case
• अत्र: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here/in this matter)

• कार्या: necessary
• कार्या: Vidhaya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done/necessary)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudrākṣa-māhātmya (within Kedāra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A striking compassionate scene: a stray dog with a rudrākṣa tied around its neck stands near a Śiva shrine; a soft divine light descends, symbolizing ‘tarana’, while onlookers are astonished and reassured.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse emphasizes the extraordinary sanctity attributed to rudrākṣa, highlighting grace beyond strict eligibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the statement functions as a phalaśruti within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Śaiva praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It underscores the salvific value of merely having rudrākṣa in contact—illustrated by tying it at the neck.