Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

मधुरस्मितविभ्राजदरुणाधरपल्लवाम् । कंबुकंठीं शिवामुद्यत्कुचपंकजकुड्मलाम्

Transliteration

madhurasmitavibhrājadaruṇādharapallavām | kaṃbukaṃṭhīṃ śivāmudyatkucapaṃkajakuḍmalām

Translation

Her sweet smile made her red lips glow like tender shoots; her neck was like a conch, and that auspicious Śivā bore uplifted breasts like budding lotuses.

Word by Word

• मधुर-स्मित-विभ्राजत्-अरुण-अधर-पल्लवाम्: with a sweet smile, shining, and with lips like red sprouts
• मधुर-स्मित-विभ्राजत्-अरुण-अधर-पल्लवाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + विभ्राजत् (कृदन्त; √भ्राज् (धातु) शतृ) + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर (प्रातिपदिक) + पल्लवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• कम्बु-कण्ठीम्: having a conch-like neck
• कम्बु-कण्ठीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• शिवाम्: Śivā (the Goddess)
• शिवाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मपद (fem. acc. sg.)

• उद्यत्-कुच-पङ्कज-कुड्मलाम्: whose raised breasts are like budding lotuses
• उद्यत्-कुच-पङ्कज-कुड्मलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत् (कृदन्त; √यत्/√उद्+√यम् (धातु) शतृ; ‘उन्नत/उद्गत’ अर्थे) + कुच (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक) + कुड्मला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Narratorial/ritual instruction voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (context: dhyāna-śloka sequence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī with a gentle, sweet smile; lips glowing red like tender sprouts; neck luminous like a conch; uplifted breasts compared to budding lotuses—an iconographic, devotional portrait emphasizing auspicious femininity.

Characters & Entities

• Śivā (Devī/Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse trains the devotee to concentrate on auspicious attributes of the Devī, transforming aesthetic contemplation into focused devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the focus is on the Goddess’s dhyāna-form used in worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhyāna (meditative visualization) as a preparatory step for Śiva-Śakti pūjā.