Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

वक्त्रैर्मुंचन्महाज्वालां रेपलेन्द्रोऽभ्यधावत । तं धावमानं दृष्ट्वैव बर्बरीको महाबलः

Transliteration

vaktrairmuṃcanmahājvālāṃ repalendro'bhyadhāvata | taṃ dhāvamānaṃ dṛṣṭvaiva barbarīko mahābalaḥ

Translation

Repalendra charged forward, spewing mighty flames from his many mouths. Seeing him rush in, the great and powerful Barbarīka also advanced to meet him.

Word by Word

• वक्त्रैः: with (his) mouths
• वक्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मुंचन्: releasing
• मुंचन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; अर्थः ‘मुञ्चन्’ (releasing)

• महाज्वालाम्: a great flame
• महाज्वालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रेपलेन्द्रः: Repalendra (a lord named Repala)
• रेपलेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेपल + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (lord/king named Repala)

• अभ्यधावत: ran towards / charged
• अभ्यधावत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अभि-

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (pronoun)

• धावमानम्: running
• धावमानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तम्’ इति विशेषणम् (running)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis: indeed/just)

• बर्बरीकः: Barbarīka
• बर्बरीकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्बरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper noun)

• महाबलः: mighty
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (very strong)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Repalendra, a gigantic multi-mouthed being, rushes forward emitting great flames; Barbarīka, immensely strong, steps forward to meet the charge head-on.

Characters & Entities

• Repalendra
• Barbarīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Courage aligned with dharma does not retreat before frightening power; it confronts it directly for the protection of order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly praised in this verse; it is part of a heroic episode within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.