Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

दीप्यमानशिखा विप्रा दिव्यरूपा मनोरमा । तदद्भुतं महद्दृष्ट्वा कुंतीपुत्रो धनंजयः

Transliteration

dīpyamānaśikhā viprā divyarūpā manoramā | tadadbhutaṃ mahaddṛṣṭvā kuṃtīputro dhanaṃjayaḥ

Translation

Beholding that wondrous, magnificent woman—radiant like a blazing flame, divine in form, and utterly enchanting—Dhanañjaya, the son of Kuntī, gazed upon the marvel in astonishment.

Word by Word

• दीप्यमानशिखा: (a woman) with a blazing crest/flame
• दीप्यमानशिखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दीप्) + शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'दीप्यमाना शिखा यस्याः सा' (having a blazing crest/flame)

• विप्रा: a brāhmaṇa woman
• विप्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिव्यरूपा: of divine form
• दिव्यरूपा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'दिव्यं रूपं यस्याः'

• मनोरमा: charming
• मनोरमा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तत्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तत्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund); 'having seen'

• कुंतीपुत्रः: Kunti’s son
• कुंतीपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुंती (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक; अर्जुन-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to कुंतीपुत्रः)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flame-like aura crowns the woman; her ornaments catch light; Arjuna’s face shows astonishment; the river reflects her radiance like molten gold on water.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)
• Kuntī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine reality can appear in extraordinary forms; the dhārmic seeker should respond with alert reverence rather than fear or distraction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative prelude within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa’s sacred-topography framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it describes a divine encounter and Arjuna’s perception.