Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

मुद्गरं कालदण्डाभं गृहीत्वा गिरिसंनिभम् । ग्रसनो घोरसंकल्पः संदष्टौष्ठपुटच्छदः

Transliteration

mudgaraṃ kāladaṇḍābhaṃ gṛhītvā girisaṃnibham | grasano ghorasaṃkalpaḥ saṃdaṣṭauṣṭhapuṭacchadaḥ

Translation

Grasana, grimmig entschlossen, ergriff eine bergähnliche Keule, die dem Stab des Todes (Kala) glich. Mit fest zusammengepressten Lippen bereitete er sich auf einen schrecklichen Angriff vor.

Word by Word

• मुद्गरम्: mace/hammer
• मुद्गरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• काल-दण्ड-आभम्: resembling Yama’s staff
• काल-दण्ड-आभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कालदण्डस्य आभः/सदृशम्)

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• गिरि-संनिभम्: mountain-like
• गिरि-संनिभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + संनिभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गिरिसदृशम्)

• ग्रसनः: Grasana (name)
• ग्रसनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• घोर-संकल्पः: of dreadful resolve
• घोर-संकल्पः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (घोरः संकल्पः यस्य)

• संदष्ट-ओष्ठ-पुट-च्छदः: with lips pressed tight
• संदष्ट-ओष्ठ-पुट-च्छदः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संदष्ट (सम्+दंश् धातु-क्त) + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक) + छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (संदष्टौष्ठपुटच्छदः = यस्य ओष्ठपुटच्छदः संदष्टः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Grasana grips a colossal mace like a mountain, its head dark as Yama’s staff; his jaw clenched, lips pressed, eyes fierce—poised to strike.

Characters & Entities

• Grasana
• Kāla
• Yama (implied by Kāla/Death imagery)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast resolve (saṃkalpa) and fearlessness in confronting death symbolizes disciplined courage aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions within a broader Purāṇic narrative of divine conflict and dharmic order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is purely martial narration.