Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

दीप्यमानशिखा विप्रा दिव्यरूपा मनोरमा । तदद्भुतं महद्दृष्ट्वा कुंतीपुत्रो धनंजयः

Transliteration

dīpyamānaśikhā viprā divyarūpā manoramā | tadadbhutaṃ mahaddṛṣṭvā kuṃtīputro dhanaṃjayaḥ

Translation

Jene Frau leuchtete mit flammendem Glanz, von göttlicher Gestalt und betörender Schönheit. Als Dhanañjaya, der Sohn der Kuntī, dieses große Wunder sah, ergriff ihn staunendes Erschrecken.

Word by Word

• दीप्यमानशिखा: (a woman) with a blazing crest/flame
• दीप्यमानशिखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दीप्) + शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'दीप्यमाना शिखा यस्याः सा' (having a blazing crest/flame)

• विप्रा: a brāhmaṇa woman
• विप्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिव्यरूपा: of divine form
• दिव्यरूपा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'दिव्यं रूपं यस्याः'

• मनोरमा: charming
• मनोरमा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तत्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तत्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund); 'having seen'

• कुंतीपुत्रः: Kunti’s son
• कुंतीपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुंती (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक; अर्जुन-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to कुंतीपुत्रः)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flame-like aura crowns the woman; her ornaments catch light; Arjuna’s face shows astonishment; the river reflects her radiance like molten gold on water.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)
• Kuntī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine reality can appear in extraordinary forms; the dhārmic seeker should respond with alert reverence rather than fear or distraction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative prelude within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa’s sacred-topography framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it describes a divine encounter and Arjuna’s perception.