Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

आश्चर्यमेतन्माहात्म्यं सर्वपापविनाशनम् । आराधयन्पुनः के वा वरदं शोणपर्वतम्

Transliteration

āścaryametanmāhātmyaṃ sarvapāpavināśanam | ārādhayanpunaḥ ke vā varadaṃ śoṇaparvatam

Translation

ഈ മഹാത്മ്യം അത്ഭുതകരവും സർവ്വപാപനാശകവുമാണ്. വരദായകനായ ശോണമലത്തെ ആരാധിച്ച ശേഷം ആരാണ് വീണ്ടും (ഭക്തിയിൽ നിന്ന്) മടങ്ങുക?

Word by Word

• आश्चर्यम्: a marvel
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग

• माहात्म्यम्: (this) sacred greatness
• माहात्म्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वपापविनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापविनाशनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-पाप-विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (सर्वेषां पापानां विनाशनम्)

• आराधयन्: worshipping
• आराधयन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-भावः

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• के: who (people)
• के: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); प्रश्नवाचक

• वा: indeed / or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative/emphasis)

• वरदम्: boon-giving
• वरदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शोणपर्वतम्: the red mountain (Śoṇa-parvata)
• शोणपर्वतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोण-पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शोणः पर्वतः)

Speaker

Sanaka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śoṇācala / Arunācala

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed Lord (Aruṇādri-īśa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The crimson Arunācala hill dominates; pilgrims and sages offer flowers and lamps; the phrase ‘varada’ is visualized as Śiva’s blessing-hand emerging as light from the mountain; devotees appear unwilling to depart, looking back with longing.

Characters & Entities

• Śoṇaparvata (Aruṇācala)
• Pāpa (sin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Aruṇācala is portrayed as transformative—purifying sin and naturally deepening commitment to worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śoṇaparvata/Śoṇa Mountain—Aruṇācala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (worship/propitiation) of Śoṇaparvata is implied; no detailed procedure is given.