Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अभक्तो वापि भक्तो वा नीचो नीचतरोपि वा । रुद्राक्षान्धारयेद्यस्तु मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

abhakto vāpi bhakto vā nīco nīcataropi vā | rudrākṣāndhārayedyastu mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

അഭക്തനായാലും ഭക്തനായാലും, നീചനായാലും അതിലും നീചനായാലും—രുദ്രാക്ഷം ധരിക്കുന്നവൻ സർവ്വ മഹാപാതകങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നു മോചിതനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• abhaktaḥ: a non-devotee
• abhaktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (नञ्) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपपद-निषेध

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पबोधक (disjunctive particle)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even/also)

• bhaktaḥ: a devotee
• bhaktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पबोधक

• nīcaḥ: low-born/mean
• nīcaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; used substantively

• nīcataraḥ: even lower
• nīcataraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तरप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; comparative degree

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पबोधक

• rudrākṣān: Rudrākṣa beads
• rudrākṣān: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• dhārayet: should wear/hold
• dhārayet: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषबोधक (particle)

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive sense)

• sarva-pātakaiḥ: from all sins
• sarva-pātakaiḥ: Apādāna (Source/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (पातक-शब्दः नपुंसक), तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; instrumental of separation in passive (ablative sense conveyed)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudrākṣa (dhāraṇa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A diverse group—devotee and non-devotee, high and low—each wearing rudrākṣa; a visual motif of shackles breaking and dark stains dissolving; Śiva’s compassionate gaze equal upon all.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa emphasizes the universal accessibility of grace: Rudrākṣa-wearing is praised as purifying irrespective of social or devotional standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse glorifies Rudrākṣa as a sacred Shaiva emblem.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhāraṇa—wearing Rudrākṣa beads on the body.