Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

महाहितजटाजूटं नियम्य शशिभूषणम् । कण्ठत्राणं परं कृत्वा धारयन् कर्णकुण्डले

Transliteration

mahāhitajaṭājūṭaṃ niyamya śaśibhūṣaṇam | kaṇṭhatrāṇaṃ paraṃ kṛtvā dhārayan karṇakuṇḍale

Translation

Er band sein wohlgeordnetes Jaṭā-Haar zusammen, vom Mond geschmückt; als höchstes Schutzornament um den Hals trug er es und legte Ohrringe an die Ohren.

Word by Word

• mahāhita-jaṭā-jūṭam: the matted-hair bundle well arranged/placed (his hair-knot)
• mahāhita-jaṭā-jūṭam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + jūṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः)

• niyamya: having restrained/controlled
• niyamya: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√yam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभावे), तुमुन्-न; absolutive/gerund: ‘having restrained/controlled’

• śaśi-bhūṣaṇam: the moon-ornament (moon as adornment)
• śaśi-bhūṣaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśin (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘शशेः भूषणम्’)

• kaṇṭha-trāṇam: neck-protection (throat-guard)
• kaṇṭha-trāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + trāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कण्ठस्य त्राणम्’)

• param: supreme, excellent
• param: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कण्ठत्राणम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• kṛtvā: having made/put on
• kṛtvā: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभावे) absolutive: ‘having made/done’

• dhārayan: wearing, bearing
• dhārayan: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः; प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (कर्तरि)

• karṇa-kuṇḍale: ear-rings (pair)
• karṇa-kuṇḍale: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कर्णयोः कुण्डले’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicitly marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāruvana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva prepares for his mendicant-journey: matted locks bound and crowned with the crescent moon; a protective neck-ornament; large ear-ornaments—an ascetic yet regal silhouette at dawn’s edge.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Moon ornament (śaśi-bhūṣaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes sacred iconography: Śiva’s ascetic-emblematic appearance signals renunciation and divine authority within the narrative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene continues toward Dāruvana; this verse itself is descriptive rather than tīrtha-glorifying.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a poetic description of Śiva’s appearance and ornaments.