Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

किं तु वै बहुनोक्तेन श्वि इत्यक्षरद्वयम् । उच्चारयंति स नित्यं ते रुद्रा नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

kiṃ tu vai bahunoktena śvi ityakṣaradvayam | uccārayaṃti sa nityaṃ te rudrā nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

しかし多言は要らぬ。二音「śvi」を常に唱える者はルドラである――これに疑いはない。

Word by Word

• किम्: what/indeed (introducing contrast)
• किम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle); वाक्योपक्रमे प्रश्नार्थ-निपातः (interrogative/contrastive particle)

• तु: but, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपातः (but/however)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (indeed, certainly)

• बहु-नोक्तेन: by much speaking / with many words
• बहु-नोक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + नोक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु) with न-उपसर्ग/negation?; here as 'many words spoken')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (usage as instrumental singular); तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Instrumental singular); तत्पुरुषसमासः (बहु + नोक्त) = 'many-said/long speech'

• श्वि: (particle)
• श्वि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वि (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्न/वितर्कार्थक-निपातः (enclitic particle, often in Vedic/archaic usage)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्त्यर्थक (quotative marker)

• अक्षर-द्वयम्: the two syllables
• अक्षर-द्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); तत्पुरुषसमासः (द्वयम् अक्षरम् = two syllables)

• उच्चारयन्ति: they utter/pronounce
• उच्चारयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु) with उद्-उपसर्ग + णिच् (causative) → उच्चारयति
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपदम्

• स: he/that one
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति एकवचन (Nominative singular); सर्वनाम

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति बहुवचन (Nominative plural) / or सम्बोधनार्थे; सर्वनाम

• रुद्राः: Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः (negation)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति एकवचन (Nominative singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedārakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan Śiva-kṣetra with ascetics and pilgrims repeating a brief Śiva-syllable; Rudra’s presence felt as a subtle aura over the shrine and snowy peaks.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Mantra syllables ('śvi')

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere, steady mantra-utterance transforms identity; constant remembrance of Śiva makes the devotee ‘Rudra-like’ in nature.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Śaiva instruction, implicitly supporting Kedāra’s mantra-oriented devotional culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular japa/utterance of the two syllables ‘śvi’ is indicated as a continual practice.