Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

विभूत्वा मंडितांगानां नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । मुखे पंचाक्षरो येषां रुद्रास्ते नात्र शंशयः

Transliteration

vibhūtvā maṃḍitāṃgānāṃ narāṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām | mukhe paṃcākṣaro yeṣāṃ rudrāste nātra śaṃśayaḥ

Translation

വിഭൂതിയാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട അവയവങ്ങളുള്ള പുണ്യകർമ്മികളായ മനുഷ്യരിൽ, ആരുടെ വായിൽ പഞ്ചാക്ഷരമന്ത്രം വസിക്കുന്നുവോ, അവർ മനുഷ്യരൂപത്തിലുള്ള രുദ്രന്മാർ തന്നെ; ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല।

Word by Word

• vibhūtvā: having become/manifested
• vibhūtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vibhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: विभू (to pervade/manifest)

• maṇḍita-aṅgānām: of those whose limbs are adorned
• maṇḍita-aṅgānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (aṅga-), समासः: तत्पुरुष (maṇḍitāni aṅgāni yeṣām)

• narāṇām: of men
• narāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• puṇya-karmaṇām: of those with meritorious deeds
• puṇya-karmaṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (puṇyaṃ karma yeṣām)

• mukhe: in the mouth
• mukhe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• pañca-akṣaraḥ: the five-syllabled (mantra)
• pañca-akṣaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः: द्विगु (pañca akṣarāṇi yasya)

• yeṣām: of whom
• yeṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• rudrāḥ: Rudras
• rudrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative setting/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• śaṃśayaḥ: doubt
• śaṃśayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himalayan Kedāra landscape; ascetic devotees with tripuṇḍra and vibhūti-smeared limbs, lips softly moving in pañcākṣara-japa; aura suggesting ‘Rudras in human form’.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhūti
• Pañcākṣara (Namaḥ Śivāya)
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A life marked by Śiva-devotion—vibhūti and pañcākṣara-japa—transforms the devotee into a Rudra-like being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the setting where Śaiva practices and their fruits are celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adorning the body with vibhūti and keeping the pañcākṣara mantra on the tongue (japa/recitation).