Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

कंबलाश्वतरौ नित्यं कर्णभूषणभूषितौ । जटामूलगताश्चान्ये महाफणिवरा ह्यमी

Transliteration

kaṃbalāśvatarau nityaṃ karṇabhūṣaṇabhūṣitau | jaṭāmūlagatāścānye mahāphaṇivarā hyamī

Translation

وكان كَمبَلا وأَشْوَتَرا يزيّنانه دائمًا كحُلِيٍّ للأذنين؛ وأما سائر سادة الأفاعي العظام ذوو القلانس العريضة فكانوا يقيمون عند أصول خُصَلِه المعقودة (الجَطا).

Word by Word

• कम्बलाश्वतरौ: Kambala and Aśvatara
• कम्बलाश्वतरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Dual; द्वन्द्वः (कम्बलश्च अश्वतरश्च)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण — adverb ‘always’

• कर्णभूषणभूषितौ: adorned as ear-ornaments
• कर्णभूषणभूषितौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Dual; तत्पुरुषः (कर्णयोः भूषणेन भूषितौ)

• जटामूलगताः: situated at the root of the matted hair
• जटामूलगताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुषः (जटायाः मूले गताः)

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाफणिवराः: great excellent serpents
• महाफणिवराः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + फणिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुषः (फणिनां वराः) with महा- उपपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय — particle

• अमी: these
• अमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-dialogue audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva adorned with serpents: Kambala and Aśvatara as ear-ornaments; other great hooded nāgas nestled at the roots of his matted locks, forming a living crown around the jaṭā.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kambala
• Aśvatara
• Nāgas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s ornaments symbolize mastery over fear and death; what terrifies the world becomes an adornment for the liberated Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s Śiva is praised through his cosmic iconography, reinforcing the sanctity of his presence in the Kedāra region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, supporting dhyāna (meditative visualization) of Śiva’s form.