Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अभक्तो वापि भक्तो वा नीचो नीचतरोपि वा । रुद्राक्षान्धारयेद्यस्तु मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

abhakto vāpi bhakto vā nīco nīcataropi vā | rudrākṣāndhārayedyastu mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

Dù là kẻ không có bhakti hay người có bhakti, dù thấp hèn hay còn thấp hèn hơn nữa—ai mang Rudrākṣa thì được giải thoát khỏi mọi trọng tội (mahāpātaka).

Word by Word

• abhaktaḥ: a non-devotee
• abhaktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (नञ्) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपपद-निषेध

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पबोधक (disjunctive particle)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even/also)

• bhaktaḥ: a devotee
• bhaktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पबोधक

• nīcaḥ: low-born/mean
• nīcaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; used substantively

• nīcataraḥ: even lower
• nīcataraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तरप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; comparative degree

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पबोधक

• rudrākṣān: Rudrākṣa beads
• rudrākṣān: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• dhārayet: should wear/hold
• dhārayet: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषबोधक (particle)

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive sense)

• sarva-pātakaiḥ: from all sins
• sarva-pātakaiḥ: Apādāna (Source/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (पातक-शब्दः नपुंसक), तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; instrumental of separation in passive (ablative sense conveyed)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudrākṣa (dhāraṇa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A diverse group—devotee and non-devotee, high and low—each wearing rudrākṣa; a visual motif of shackles breaking and dark stains dissolving; Śiva’s compassionate gaze equal upon all.

Characters & Entities

• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa emphasizes the universal accessibility of grace: Rudrākṣa-wearing is praised as purifying irrespective of social or devotional standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse glorifies Rudrākṣa as a sacred Shaiva emblem.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhāraṇa—wearing Rudrākṣa beads on the body.