Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 129

Devanagari script

गवांपुत्रः सुरारिघ्नः संभवो भवभावनः । पिनाकी शत्रुहा श्वेतो गूढः स्कन्दः कराग्रणीः

Transliteration

gavāṃputraḥ surārighnaḥ saṃbhavo bhavabhāvanaḥ | pinākī śatruhā śveto gūḍhaḥ skandaḥ karāgraṇīḥ

Translation

Du bist „der Sohn der Kühe“, der Bezwinger der Feinde der Götter; der Selbstgeborene, der das Werden erweckt. Du trägst Pināka, der Vernichter der Widersacher; der Weiße, der Verborgene; Skanda, der Führer an der Spitze des Handelns.

Word by Word

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरारिघ्नः: slayer of the enemies of the gods
• सुरारिघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + अरि + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; घ्न = √हन् (धातु) से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival epithet)

• संभवः: origin; the born one
• संभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संभव (प्रातिपदिक; √भू (धातु) से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवभावनः: one who causes/augments existence (or: who nurtures Bhava)
• भवभावनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव + भावन (प्रातिपदिक; भावन = √भू/√भू (धातु) से ‘भावयति’ अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पिनाकी: bearer of the bow Pināka
• पिनाकी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पिनाक’धारी (possessor)

• शत्रुहा: slayer of enemies
• शत्रुहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रु + हन् (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्वेतः: white; bright
• श्वेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गूढः: hidden; concealed
• गूढः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गूढ (प्रातिपदिक; √गुह् (धातु) से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper epithet)

• कराग्रणीः: leader among doers/agents (lit. among hands)
• कराग्रणीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर + अग्रणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers praise to Skanda depicted as radiant and youthful, bearing martial insignia; the epithets suggest a white-hued, partly veiled (gūḍha) divine presence, with Pināka symbolism linking him to Śiva’s power.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Devas
• Pināka (Śiva’s bow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Skanda is praised as the divine protector who removes forces opposed to dharma, both outwardly (foes) and inwardly (obscuring darkness).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it continues the nāma-recitation sequence.