Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

दन्तेन्दुकांतिविध्वस्तभक्तमोहमहाभया । खड्गचर्मशूलपात्रचतुर्भुजविराजिता

Transliteration

dantendukāṃtividhvastabhaktamohamahābhayā | khaḍgacarmaśūlapātracaturbhujavirājitā

Translation

Durch den mondgleichen Glanz ihrer Zähne wurde die große Furcht, die aus der Verblendung der Verehrer entsprang, vertrieben. Sie erstrahlte vierarmig, Schwert, Fell, Dreizack und Almosenschale tragend.

Word by Word

• dantendukāṃtividhvastabhaktamohamahābhayā: whose moonlike tooth-radiance destroys devotees’ delusion and great fear
• dantendukāṃtividhvastabhaktamohamahābhayā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of devī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: danta (दन्त) + indu (इन्दु) + kānti (कान्ति) + vidhvasta (विध्वस्त) + bhakta (भक्त) + moha (मोह) + mahābhaya (महाभय) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘दन्तेन्दुकान्त्या विध्वस्तं भक्तमोहमहाभयं यस्याः/या’ (by the moonlike radiance of her teeth, the devotees’ delusion and great fear are destroyed)

• khaḍgacarmaśūlapātracaturbhujavirājitā: resplendent with four arms (holding sword, hide, trident, bowl)
• khaḍgacarmaśūlapātracaturbhujavirājitā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of devī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khaḍga (खड्ग) + carma (चर्म) + śūla (शूल) + pātra (पात्र) + caturbhuja (चतुर्भुज) + virājitā (विराजिता) (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘खड्ग-चर्म-शूल-पात्र-चतुर्भुजैः विराजिता’ (resplendent with four arms bearing sword, hide/shield, trident, and bowl)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī smiles; moonlike teeth radiate, dispelling devotees’ delusion-born terror. She stands four-armed, holding sword, hide, trident, and bowl—an awe-inspiring yet protective stance.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavatī (Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devī’s grace removes fear and delusion; her weapons symbolize protection and the destruction of inner darkness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; the focus is on Devī’s protective manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the implied practice is devotion (bhakti) and taking refuge in the Devī.