Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

त्रिपुण्ड्रधारणं येषां विभूत्वा मन्त्रपूतया । ते रुद्रलोके रुद्राश्च भविष्यंति न संशयः

Transliteration

tripuṇḍradhāraṇaṃ yeṣāṃ vibhūtvā mantrapūtayā | te rudraloke rudrāśca bhaviṣyaṃti na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

जे मंत्रपूत विभूतीने त्रिपुंड्र धारण करतात, ते रुद्रलोकी रुद्रस्वरूप होतात; यात संशय नाही।

Word by Word

• त्रिपुण्ड्रधारणम्: wearing of the three sacred ash-lines (tripuṇḍra)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रधारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धारण (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिपुण्ड्रस्य धारणम्)

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धे (genitive)

• विभूत्वा: having become / having turned into (ash)
• विभूत्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘विभूय/विभूत्वा’ = कृत्वा-भावः; पूर्वक्रिया

• मन्त्रपूतया: purified by mantra
• मन्त्रपूतया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (कृदन्त; √पू धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्रेण पूता)

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

• रुद्रलोके: in Rudra’s world
• रुद्रलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रस्य लोकः)

• रुद्राः: (as) Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भविष्यन्ति: will become
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Existential subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘न संशयः’ इति नास्तित्वे (there is no doubt)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), in narration to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan Śaiva pilgrim at Kedāra applies mantra-purified vibhūti as tripuṇḍra on the forehead; a subtle vision of Rudraloka/blue-white radiance suggests the promised transformation into Rudra-like state.

Characters & Entities

• Tripuṇḍra
• Vibhūti
• Rudra
• Rudraloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaiva identity-markers (Tripuṇḍra with mantra-purified ash) are portrayed as powerful conveyors of devotion and spiritual destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the teaching is delivered within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader Kedāra sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Apply Tripuṇḍra using vibhūti that has been sanctified by mantra.