Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

बिभ्राणं कुंडलयुगं नीलरत्नमहाहनुम् । नीलग्रीवं महाबाहुं नागहारविराजितम्

Transliteration

bibhrāṇaṃ kuṃḍalayugaṃ nīlaratnamahāhanum | nīlagrīvaṃ mahābāhuṃ nāgahāravirājitam

Translation

He wore a pair of earrings; his mighty cheeks were like great blue gems. Blue-throated and great-armed, he shone, adorned with a garland of serpents.

Word by Word

• bibhrāṇam: bearing, wearing
• bibhrāṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhṛ (धातु) → bibhrāṇa (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjectival participle ‘bearing’

• kuṇḍala-yugam: a pair of earrings
• kuṇḍala-yugam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुण्डलयोः युगम्)

• nīla-ratna-mahā-hanum: having a great jaw like a blue gem
• nīla-ratna-mahā-hanum: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (उपसर्गवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + hanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-कर्मधारयः (नीलरत्नवत् महती हनुः यस्य)

• nīla-grīvam: blue-necked
• nīla-grīvam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + grīvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नीला ग्रीवा यस्य)

• mahā-bāhum: mighty-armed
• mahā-bāhum: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तौ बाहू यस्य)

• nāga-hāra-virājitam: adorned with serpent-garlands
• nāga-hāra-virājitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + hāra (प्रातिपदिक) + virājita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘adorned’; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (नागहारैः विराजितम्)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa framing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A frontal, temple-icon Śiva: blue-throated, broad-armed, wearing twin kuṇḍalas; cheeks/face gleam like deep-blue gems; a serpent-garland rests across the chest, radiating cool, lapis-like light.

Characters & Entities

• Nīlagrīva (Śiva/Neelkantha)
• Nāgahāra (serpent garland)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s ‘blue throat’ recalls the protection of the worlds; his ornaments signify fearless mastery over poison and death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None mentioned.