Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 124

Devanagari script

भिक्षाभुजो भूतिभृतो मल्लिंगान्यर्च्चयंति ते । तथा मदेकाग्रधियो मद्ध्यानैकदृढव्रताः

Transliteration

bhikṣābhujo bhūtibhṛto malliṃgānyarccayaṃti te | tathā madekāgradhiyo maddhyānaikadṛḍhavratāḥ

Translation

അവർ ഭിക്ഷയാൽ ജീവിച്ച് ഭസ്മം ധരിച്ചു, എന്റെ ലിംഗചിഹ്നങ്ങളെ ആരാധിക്കുന്നു; അവരുടെ ചിത്തം എന്നിൽ ഏകാഗ്രമായി, എന്നെയേ ധ്യാനിക്കുന്ന ഏകദൃഢവ്രതത്തിൽ സ്ഥിരമാണ്।

Word by Word

• भिक्षा-भुजः: living on alms
• भिक्षा-भुजः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + √भुज् (धातु) → भुज्/भुज (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भिक्षां भुञ्जते ये (living on alms)

• भूति-भृतः: bearing (sacred) ash
• भूति-भृतः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + √भृ (धातु) → भृत् (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भूतिं बिभ्रति ये (bearing sacred ash)

• मत्-लिङ्गानि: my emblems/marks
• मत्-लिङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-सम्बद्ध; प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मम लिङ्गानि (my emblems/marks)

• अर्चयन्ति: worship
• अर्चयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present Indicative); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मत्-एकाग्र-धियः: whose minds are one-pointed on me
• मत्-एकाग्र-धियः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (प्रातिपदिक) + एकाग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मयि एकाग्रा धिः येषाम् (single-pointed in me)

• मत्-ध्यान-एक-दृढ-व्रताः: having a firm vow of exclusive meditation on me
• मत्-ध्यान-एक-दृढ-व्रताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दृढ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला—मयि ध्यानम्; तस्मिन् एकम्; तद् दृढम्; व्रतं येषाम् (firm vow of exclusive meditation on me)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī / Umā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ash-smeared ascetics living on alms worship Śiva’s emblems; they sit in firm meditation, minds fixed solely on Śiva, embodying a single unwavering vow.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhūti (bhūti)
• Liṅga
• Dhyāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External marks and rites are meant to support inner ekāgratā—single-pointed meditation on the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where liṅga-worship and intense dhyāna are presented as especially meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-arcana (worship of Śiva’s emblems), bearing vibhūti, and maintaining a firm vow of meditative focus.