Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

वाराणस्यां पुरि पुरा बभूव जपतां वरः । रुद्रजापी महाभागो मांटिर्नाम महायशाः

Transliteration

vārāṇasyāṃ puri purā babhūva japatāṃ varaḥ | rudrajāpī mahābhāgo māṃṭirnāma mahāyaśāḥ

Translation

പുരാതനകാലത്ത് വാരാണസീ നഗരത്തിൽ ജപിക്കുന്നവരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ, രുദ്രജപത്തിൽ നിരതൻ, മഹാഭാഗ്യവാനും മഹായശസ്സും ഉള്ള ‘മാംടി’ എന്നൊരാൾ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• पुरि: in the city
• पुरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• बभूव: there was, became
• बभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• जपताम्: of those who recite (japa)
• जपताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जपत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle)

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• रुद्रजापी: a reciter of Rudra (mantra)
• रुद्रजापी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्रजापिन् (प्रातिपदिक; रुद्र + जापिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• महाभागः: very fortunate, illustrious
• महाभागः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मांटिः: Māṃṭi (name of a person)
• मांटिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• नाम: named
• नाम: Namakarana (Apposition/नामकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable; naming particle)

• महायशाः: of great fame
• महायशाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस् (प्रातिपदिक; महा + यशस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī/Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A Pāṇḍava-line prince (pāṇḍukula-udvaha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In ancient Vārāṇasī, a renowned devotee Māṃṭi sits near a shrine or ghat, counting rudrākṣa beads, absorbed in Rudra-japa; the city’s temples and riverfront silhouette frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Māṃṭi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady Rudra-japa, especially in a sanctified city like Kāśī, is portrayed as a high dharmic discipline leading toward divine favor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is explicitly named as the sacred setting of the devotee’s practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rudra-japa (chanting Rudra’s name/mantra) as a disciplined spiritual practice.