Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

कांतिर्द्युतिर्धृतिर्मेधा श्रीरखंडा च दानवम् । परिवव्रुर्गुणा कीर्णं निश्छिद्राः सर्व एव हि

Transliteration

kāṃtirdyutirdhṛtirmedhā śrīrakhaṃḍā ca dānavam | parivavrurguṇā kīrṇaṃ niśchidrāḥ sarva eva hi

Translation

Splendour, radiance, steadfastness, intelligence, and unbroken prosperity surrounded that Dānava; indeed, he was filled with virtues, complete in every way, without any flaw.

Word by Word

• kāntiḥ: splendor
• kāntiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• dyutiḥ: radiance
• dyutiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• dhṛtiḥ: steadfastness
• dhṛtiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• medhā: intelligence
• medhā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: medhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• śrīḥ: fortune
• śrīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• akhaṇḍā: unbroken
• akhaṇḍā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhaṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (unbroken/undivided)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (and)

• dānavam: the Dānava (demon)
• dānavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• parivavruḥ: surrounded
• parivavruḥ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + √vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्; अर्थः—परिवव्रुः (surrounded)

• guṇāḥ: qualities
• guṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• kīrṇam: filled
• kīrṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīrṇa (कृदन्त; √kṝ/√kīr)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त: कीर्णम् (strewn/filled)

• niśchidraḥ: flawless
• niśchidraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśchidra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (without gaps; flawless)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (indeed/just)

• hi: for
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्ययम् (for/indeed)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), implied

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tāraka encircled by personified qualities—Kānti, Dyuti, Dhṛti, Medhā, Śrī—like radiant attendants forming an unbroken aura of success.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava (Daitya/Tāraka context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly excellence—beauty, power, prosperity—can surround even the unrighteous; dharma is tested not by splendour but by right intent and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is descriptive of the Dānava’s state.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is narrative description.