Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

वेदोक्तविधिना सर्वे वेदवेदांगपारगाः । चक्रू रक्षां महेशस्य कृतकौतुकमंगलाम्

Transliteration

vedoktavidhinā sarve vedavedāṃgapāragāḥ | cakrū rakṣāṃ maheśasya kṛtakautukamaṃgalām

Translation

വേദവും വേദാംഗങ്ങളും പാരംഗതരായ എല്ലാവരും വേദോക്തവിധിപ്രകാരം മഹേശ്വരന്റെ രക്ഷാകർമ്മം നടത്തി; കൗതുകബന്ധനവും മംഗളാശീർവാദങ്ങളും സഹിതം.

Word by Word

• वेदोक्तविधिना: by the procedure prescribed in the Veda
• वेदोक्तविधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहु-तत्पुरुषः (वेदेन उक्तः विधिः → वेदोक्तविधिः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः: those who have mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समाहार/द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपदसदृश-समासः (वेद + वेदाङ्ग) तत्पुरुषेण पारग (पारं गतः)

• चक्रुः: they performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• रक्षाम्: protective rite / protection
• रक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• कृतकौतुकमङ्गलाम्: (protection) made auspicious with ceremonial tokens
• कृतकौतुकमङ्गलाम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त) + कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक) + मङ्गला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहु-तत्पुरुषः (कृतं कौतुकं यस्याः सा) विशेषणम् रक्षाम्

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages encircle the Śiva-sannidhi, tying/holding auspicious tokens (kautuka), sprinkling sanctified water, making protective gestures (rakṣā), while reciting Vedic mantras in unison.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Ṛṣis
• Vedas
• Vedāṅgas
• Rakṣā
• Kautuka
• Maṅgala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection and auspiciousness arise from Veda-grounded worship performed by those established in sacred learning and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite is situated in Kedāra’s sacred narrative environment, highlighting the sanctity of ceremonies done near Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rakṣā-rite for Maheśa, performed with kautuka and maṅgala elements, strictly following Vedic procedure.