Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

राक्षसा एव ते सर्वे शिवपूजान्विताः सदा । हेतिः प्रहेतिः संयातिर्विघसः प्रघसस्तथा

Transliteration

rākṣasā eva te sarve śivapūjānvitāḥ sadā | hetiḥ prahetiḥ saṃyātirvighasaḥ praghasastathā

Translation

അവർ എല്ലാവരും രാക്ഷസന്മാരായിരുന്നു; നിത്യം ശിവപൂജയിൽ നിരതരായിരുന്നു—ഹേതി, പ്രഹേതി, സംയാതി, വിഘസ, പ്രഘസ എന്നിവരും।

Word by Word

• राक्षसाः: the rākṣasas (demons)
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) राक्षसाः इति

• शिवपूजान्विताः: endowed with worship of Śiva
• शिवपूजान्विताः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिवपूजा + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘अन्वित’ (past participle-like adjective) = युक्त/समन्वित; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पूजा → शिवपूजा) ततः ‘शिवपूजा’ इति उपपदेन अन्वित

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• हेतिः: Heti (name)
• हेतिः: Apposition/Name (संज्ञा/सम्बोधन-तुल्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रहेतिः: Praheti (name)
• प्रहेतिः: Apposition/Name (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहेति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• संयातिः: Saṃyāti (name)
• संयातिः: Apposition/Name (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विघसः: Vighasa (name)
• विघसः: Apposition/Name (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रघसः: Praghasa (name)
• प्रघसः: Apposition/Name (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रघस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: and also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: ‘also/thus’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context deduction

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn roll-call of rākṣasa chiefs, shown with fierce forms yet hands folded in śiva-bhakti before a radiant liṅga; Himalayan backdrop hints at Kedāra.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Rākṣasas
• Heti
• Praheti
• Saṃyāti
• Vighasa
• Praghasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse underscores that constant Śiva-pūjā is a defining virtue, even when the worshippers are identified as Rākṣasas.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra pilgrimage milieu (Kedāra Khaṇḍa), where Śiva’s greatness is celebrated through exemplars of devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-pūjā (worship of Śiva) is referenced generally; no specific vrata, dāna, or snāna is specified here.