Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

जनकस्य गृहे साक्षाद्ब्रह्मविद्या जनिष्यति । भक्तो हि रावणः साक्षाच्छिवध्यानपरायणः

Transliteration

janakasya gṛhe sākṣādbrahmavidyā janiṣyati | bhakto hi rāvaṇaḥ sākṣācchivadhyānaparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

ജനകന്റെ ഗൃഹത്തിൽ സാക്ഷാൽ ബ്രഹ്മവിദ്യ ജന്മിക്കും. കാരണം രാവണൻ സത്യമായും ഭക്തൻ—പ്രത്യക്ഷമായി ശിവധ്യാനത്തിൽ പരായണൻ।

Word by Word

• जनकस्य: of Janaka
• जनकस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; directly/manifestly)

• ब्रह्मविद्या: Brahmavidyā (knowledge of Brahman)
• ब्रह्मविद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmavidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जनिष्यति: will be born/arise
• जनिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• भक्तः: devoted
• भक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रावणः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• रावणः: Rāvaṇa
• रावणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: truly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; truly/directly)

• शिव-ध्यान-परायणः: wholly devoted to meditation on Śiva
• शिव-ध्यान-परायणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva + dhyāna + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रावणः); (शिवस्य ध्यानं तस्मिन् परायणः)

Speaker

Vāsudeva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mithilā (Janaka-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Janaka’s palace where a radiant feminine presence—Brahmavidyā—manifests; juxtaposed with an image of Rāvaṇa in intense Śiva-meditation, highlighting paradox.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Brahmavidyā
• Rāvaṇa
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives can portray complex dharma: even a powerful antagonist may possess devotion, yet still fall due to adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mithilā/Janaka’s realm is indicated via “Janaka’s house,” while the Kedārakhaṇḍa remains the textual setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse provides doctrinal-narrative context (birth/manifestation and character description).