Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 166
एतद्बुद्धात्मनो भक्तिं देहि जन्मनिजन्मनि । त्वं माता च पिता त्वं च त्वं बंधुश्च सखा हि मे
etadbuddhātmano bhaktiṃ dehi janmanijanmani | tvaṃ mātā ca pitā tvaṃ ca tvaṃ baṃdhuśca sakhā hi me
Kurniakanlah kepadaku—yang hatinya teguh pada hal ini—bhakti dari kelahiran ke kelahiran. Engkaulah ibu dan engkaulah bapa; Engkaulah kaum kerabat dan sungguh sahabatku.
Mahākāla (addressing Śiva/Rudra)
Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣis/śaunaka-group in purāṇic frame)
Scene: A humble Kirāta-devotee (or devotee figure) stands before Kedāranātha/Śiva, hands folded, praying for devotion across births; Śiva is envisioned as compassionate parent and friend, with Himalayan peaks and a stone liṅga-temple backdrop.
FAQs
The highest boon is unbroken devotion to Śiva across all lives, seeing Him as one’s complete refuge.
Kedāra-kṣetra’s Śaiva milieu, where devotion and refuge in Śiva are praised.
None; the verse is a bhakti-prārthanā (devotional petition) for steadfastness.