Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

कैलासं तस्करो नीतो रुद्रदूतैस्ततस्तदा । विभूतेर्महिमानं तु को विशेषितुर्महति

Transliteration

kailāsaṃ taskaro nīto rudradūtaistatastadā | vibhūtermahimānaṃ tu ko viśeṣiturmahati

Translation

اسی وقت رُدر کے دُوت اسے، اس چور کو، کَیلاش لے گئے۔ بھسم (وِبھوتی) کی عظمت و جلال کو پوری طرح کون بیان کر سکتا ہے؟

Word by Word

• कैलासम्: to Kailāsa
• कैलासम्: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्करः: the thief
• तस्करः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीतः: was taken/led
• नीतः: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नी (धातु) → नीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive sense)

• रुद्रदूतैः: by Rudra’s messengers
• रुद्रदूतैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरवाचक (thereafter)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (at that time)

• विभूतेः: of vibhūti (sacred ash)
• विभूतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महिमानम्: greatness, glory
• महिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय-निपात (contrastive particle)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• विशेषितुम्: to describe fully / to distinguish
• विशेषितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive)

• महति: in (something) great; in greatness
• महति: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative of sphere/extent)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra’s messengers—gaṇa-like, radiant yet awe-inspiring—lift the thief’s subtle body and fly toward snow-clad Kailāsa, where Śiva’s luminous presence is suggested amid peaks and clouds.

Characters & Entities

• Kailāsa
• Rudradūta
• Vibhūti
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace can uplift even the fallen; the purifying power of vibhūti is portrayed as immeasurable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the contextual tirtha; Kailāsa is invoked as Śiva’s transcendent abode linked to liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, honoring/using vibhūti as a Śaiva sacred substance is endorsed through its proclaimed mahimā.