Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 139

Devanagari script

अव्ययो ह्यमरः श्रीमानुन्नतो ह्यग्निसंभवः । पिशाचराजः सूर्याभः शिवात्मा शिवनंदनः

Transliteration

avyayo hyamaraḥ śrīmānunnato hyagnisaṃbhavaḥ | piśācarājaḥ sūryābhaḥ śivātmā śivanaṃdanaḥ

Translation

You are imperishable, deathless, and glorious; exalted, and born of fire. You are the king over piśācas; radiant like the sun; of Śiva’s very essence; and the cherished son who brings joy to Śiva.

Word by Word

• अव्ययः: imperishable, undecaying
• अव्ययः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (masc. nom. sg.)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—खलु/नूनम् (indeed)

• अमरः: deathless, immortal
• अमरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (masc. nom. sg.)

• श्रीमान्: glorious, endowed with prosperity
• श्रीमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive) (masc. nom. sg.)

• उन्नतः: exalted, uplifted
• उन्नतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक; √नम् (धातु) + उत्- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) (masc. nom. sg.)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—खलु/नूनम् (indeed)

• अग्निसंभवः: born from Agni (fire)
• अग्निसंभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अग्नेः संभवः) (masc. nom. sg.)

• पिशाचराजः: king of piśācas
• पिशाचराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पिशाचानां राजा) (masc. nom. sg.)

• सूर्याभः: sun-like, radiant as the sun
• सूर्याभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (सूर्य इव आभा यस्य/सूर्यस्य आभा) (masc. nom. sg.)

• शिवात्मा: whose essence is Śiva; Śiva-souled
• शिवात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य आत्मा/शिवात्मा) (masc. nom. sg.)

• शिवनंदनः: son of Śiva
• शिवनंदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य नन्दनः) (masc. nom. sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Kumāra/Skanda is praised with epithets: imperishable, sun-bright, fire-born; shown as Śiva’s beloved son, with a protective aura over bhūtas/piśācas, indicating mastery over liminal beings.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttikeya
• Skanda
• Śiva
• Agni
• Piśācas
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Skanda is praised as imperishable divine power rooted in Śiva, capable of governing even fearsome spirit-realms and granting protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly praised; the verse emphasizes lineage and divine authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; traditionally such epithets are used for protective japa and stotra recitation.