Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

कुठारवेदांकुशपाशशूलकपालढक्काक्षगुणान्दधानः । चतुर्मुखो नीलरुचिस्त्रिनेत्रः पायादघोरो दिशि दक्षिणस्याम्

Transliteration

kuṭhāravedāṃkuśapāśaśūlakapālaḍhakkākṣaguṇāndadhānaḥ | caturmukho nīlarucistrinetraḥ pāyādaghoro diśi dakṣiṇasyām

Translation

May Aghora—four-faced, three-eyed, dark-blue in radiance—protect me in the southern quarter, bearing the axe, the Veda, the goad, the noose, the trident, the skull, the ḍhakkā drum, the rosary, and the bowstring.

Word by Word

• कुठार-वेद-अङ्कुश-पाश-शूल-कपाल-ढक्का-अक्ष-गुणान्: axes, Vedas, goad, noose, trident, skull, drum, rosary-beads, and bowstring
• कुठार-वेद-अङ्कुश-पाश-शूल-कपाल-ढक्का-अक्ष-गुणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुठार (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + पाश (प्रातिपदिक) + शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + ढक्का (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वसमासः (आयुध-समूहः) — Accusative plural objects held

• दधानः: bearing
• दधानः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘bearing/holding’

• चतुर्-मुखः: four-faced
• चतुर्-मुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular adjective

• नील-रुचिः: blue-lustred
• नील-रुचिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + रुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — Nominative singular adjective

• त्रि-नेत्रः: three-eyed
• त्रि-नेत्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular adjective

• पायात्: may (he) protect
• पायात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — may he protect

• अघोरः: Aghora
• अघोरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular (name/epithet)

• दिशि: in the direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — Locative singular

• दक्षिणस्याम्: southern
• दक्षिणस्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दिशि) — Locative singular feminine

Speaker

Anonymous Purāṇic narrator (dik-rakṣā kavaca)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aghora in the southern direction: four-faced, three-eyed, dark-blue, holding a dense array of weapons and ritual items—axe, Veda, goad, noose, trident, skull, ḍhakkā drum, rosary, bowstring—forming a protective arsenal.

Characters & Entities

• Aghora
• Śiva
• South (Dakṣiṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Invoking Aghora establishes divine guardianship; Śiva’s fierce compassion removes obstacles and fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the verse functions as a southern-direction protective formula.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dik-bandhana style protection: invoking Aghora in the south while reciting the kavaca.