Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

क्षणाद्भस्मीभवंत्येव शैवे पंचाक्षरे धृते । आसंस्तवाद्य राजेंद्र दग्धाः पातककोटयः

Transliteration

kṣaṇādbhasmībhavaṃtyeva śaive paṃcākṣare dhṛte | āsaṃstavādya rājeṃdra dagdhāḥ pātakakoṭayaḥ

Translation

ശൈവ പഞ്ചാക്ഷരം ദൃഢമായി ധരിച്ചാൽ പാപങ്ങൾ ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ ഭസ്മമാകും. ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ, ഇന്ന് നിന്നിലെ പാപകോടികൾ ദഗ്ധമായി.

Word by Word

• क्षणात्: from a moment; instantly
• क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• भस्मीभवन्ति: become ashes
• भस्मीभवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भस्मीभू (धातु; भस्मी + √भू)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed; certainly
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• शैवे: in/with the Śaiva (mantra)
• शैवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• पञ्चाक्षरे: in the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• धृते: when held/retained (i.e., when the mantra is held)
• धृते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• त्व: your
• त्व: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; छन्दसि/पदच्छेदे ‘त्व’ = ‘तव’

• आद्य: O first/foremost
• आद्य: Sambodhana-arthaka (Vocative sense/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• दग्धाः: burnt; consumed
• दग्धाः: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया-फल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (पातककोटयः इति कर्तरि/विषये)

• पातककोटयः: crores of sins
• पातककोटयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पातकानां कोटयः)

Speaker

Śrī Guru (continuing instruction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage addressing a king; behind them a subtle vision of sins turning to ash as the pañcākṣarī is invoked, with a faint aura of Śiva’s liṅga or trident symbolizing Śaiva power.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Pañcākṣarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere refuge in Śiva through the Pañcākṣarī mantra has immense purifying power, burning karmic sin swiftly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the glorification is of Śiva’s mantra (vidyā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice/retain the Śaiva Pañcākṣarī (commonly understood as “Namaḥ Śivāya”) through japa and steady remembrance.