Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

रुद्रैकादशभिर्मन्त्रैः स्नापयेत्कलशाम्भसा । पुत्रमाप्नोति राजेन्द्र दीर्घायुषमकल्मषम्

Transliteration

rudraikādaśabhirmantraiḥ snāpayetkalaśāmbhasā | putramāpnoti rājendra dīrghāyuṣamakalmaṣam

Translation

പതിനൊന്ന് രുദ്രമന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ കലശജലംകൊണ്ട് സ്നാപനം ചെയ്യണം. ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്ര, അവൻ ദീർഘായുസ്സും കല്മഷരഹിതനുമായ പുത്രനെ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• रुद्रैकादशभिः: with the eleven Rudra (mantras)
• रुद्रैकादशभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र + एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (‘रुद्राः एकादश येषां मन्त्राणाम्’)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु; णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• कलशाम्भसा: with water from the pot
• कलशाम्भसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘कलशस्य अम्भसा’)

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: obtains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः’)

• दीर्घायुषम्: long-lived
• दीर्घायुषम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘दीर्घम् आयुः यस्य’)

• अकल्मषम्: sinless; free from impurity
• अकल्मषम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक-उपसर्गयुक्त (privative ‘without sin/impurity’)

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Śiva) (contextual attribution within instruction + phala-śruti)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-liṅga sthāna at Revā (contextual)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liṅga is bathed with a steady stream from a decorated kalaśa; the priest chants eleven Rudra mantras; the king (addressed as rājendra) stands with folded hands; bilva leaves and white flowers surround the pedestal.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Mantra
• Kalaśa
• Rājendra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-abhiṣeka with mantra and devotion is presented as a powerful dharmic means for blessings and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes ritual efficacy; the broader chapter belongs to the Revā (Narmadā) region but this line does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform abhiṣeka using kalaśa-water while reciting the eleven Rudra-mantras.