Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

महाविशालमौलिं च प्रोर्ध्वीभूतशिरोरुहम् । प्रलंबकर्णपालीकं पिंगलश्मश्रुभीषणम्

Transliteration

mahāviśālamauliṃ ca prordhvībhūtaśiroruham | pralaṃbakarṇapālīkaṃ piṃgalaśmaśrubhīṣaṇam

Translation

He had an enormously large head, with hair standing upright; his ear-lobes hung down long, and he looked dreadful with tawny, bristling whiskers.

Word by Word

• महाविशालमौलिम्: having a very large crest/topknot
• महाविशालमौलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (descriptive epithet)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• प्रोर्ध्वीभूतशिरोरुहम्: with hair standing upright
• प्रोर्ध्वीभूतशिरोरुहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + ऊर्ध्वीभूत (कृदन्त; √भू धातु) + शिरोरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिरोरुहं यस्य ऊर्ध्वीभूतम्)

• प्रलंबकर्णपालीकम्: with long hanging ear-lobes
• प्रलंबकर्णपालीकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पालीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (प्रलम्बाः कर्णपालीकाः यस्य)

• पिङ्गलश्मश्रुभीषणम्: terrifying with tawny beard/moustache
• पिङ्गलश्मश्रुभीषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (पिङ्गलं श्मश्रु यस्य; भीषणम्)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual narration to Agastya in Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dreadful, emaciated being with an oversized head, hair standing on end, long drooping earlobes, and tawny bristling whiskers—set against the dim, sacred ambience of Kāśī’s lanes/ghats.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores the frightening consequence of fallen states (preta-condition) and prepares the listener for dharmic instruction and compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider narrative belongs to Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) Mahātmya in the Skanda Purāṇa, even though this verse itself is descriptive.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a physical description within the narrative.