Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

कुंदेंदुधवलाकारं नागाभरणभूषितम् । वरदाभयहस्तं च बिभ्राणं परशुं मृगम्

Transliteration

kuṃdeṃdudhavalākāraṃ nāgābharaṇabhūṣitam | varadābhayahastaṃ ca bibhrāṇaṃ paraśuṃ mṛgam

Translation

تأمّل فيه، ذاك الذي هيئته بيضاء كالياسمين والقمر، متزيّن بحُلِيٍّ من الحيّات؛ بيدٍ يمنح العطايا وبأخرى يهب الأمان من الخوف، ويحمل أيضًا فأسًا وغزالًا.

Word by Word

• कुन्द: jasmine
• कुन्द: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• इन्दु: moon
• इन्दु: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• धवल: white
• धवल: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• आकारम्: form; appearance
• आकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासान्त-पद (in compound)

• कुन्देन्दुधवलाकारम्: having a form white like jasmine and the moon
• कुन्देन्दुधवलाकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुन्द + इन्दु + धवल + आकार (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (कुन्देन्दुधवलः आकारः यस्य)

• नागाभरणभूषितम्: adorned with serpent-ornaments
• नागाभरणभूषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग + आभरण + भूषित (भूष् धातु; क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (नागैः/नागानाम् आभरणैः भूषितम्)

• वरदाभयहस्तम्: whose hands grant boons and fearlessness
• वरदाभयहस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद + अभय + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वरदः अभयश्च—एतेषां हस्तः/हस्तौ यस्य)

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

• बिभ्राणम्: bearing; holding
• बिभ्राणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘bearing/holding’

• परशुम्: axe
• परशुम्: Karma (Object held)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृगम्: deer
• मृगम्: Karma (Object held)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva in luminous white, adorned with coiled serpents as ornaments, four arms displayed: varada and abhaya gestures, with an axe and a deer; calm yet powerful presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse teaches devotional visualization: seeing Śiva as pure, protective, beneficent, and master of ascetic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the focus is Śiva’s dhyāna-form used in worship at many Śaiva kṣetras.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A guided meditation specifying Śiva’s form and the emblems in His hands (boon, fearlessness, axe, deer).