Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

यज्ञमूर्तिधरो विष्णुस्ततस्तुष्टाव शंकरम् । भीतो हिरण्यगर्भोपि जजाप शतरुद्रियम्

Transliteration

yajñamūrtidharo viṣṇustatastuṣṭāva śaṃkaram | bhīto hiraṇyagarbhopi jajāpa śatarudriyam

Translation

അപ്പോൾ യജ്ഞമൂർത്തി ധരിച്ച വിഷ്ണു ശങ്കരനെ സ്തുതിച്ചു; ഭീതനായ ഹിരണ്യഗർഭൻ (ബ്രഹ്മാവും) ശതരുദ്രീയം ജപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• यज्ञमूर्तिधरः: (he who is) bearer of the sacrificial form
• यज्ञमूर्तिधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-मूर्ति-धर (प्रातिपदिक; धर = धृ धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यज्ञस्य मूर्तिः यस्य सः/यज्ञमूर्तिं धरतीति (समासान्त)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (ततः = then/thereafter)

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• भीतः: frightened
• भीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत (कृदन्त; भी धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• हिरण्यगर्भः: Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā)
• हिरण्यगर्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; हिरण्यस्य गर्भः इति समासः

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

• जजाप: recited, muttered
• जजाप: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शतरुद्रियम्: the Śatarudriya hymn
• शतरुद्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत-रुद्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; शतं रुद्रियाणि/रुद्रान् यस्मिन् इति (नाम)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu as the embodied yajña (yajñamūrti) offers reverent praise to Śaṅkara; nearby Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā), visibly anxious, chants the Śatarudrīya—Vedic cadence visualized as flowing syllables around Rudra’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā)
• Śatarudrīya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest gods seek refuge in Śiva through praise and Vedic Rudra-recitation, highlighting Śiva’s supreme sanctifying power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī context is being glorified, though this verse focuses on cosmic reverence to Śiva rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of the Śatarudrīya is referenced as a powerful act of propitiation.