Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

स्वभासा भासयन्सर्वा दिशो वितिमिरास्तदा । भस्मपांडुरसर्वांगो जटामंडलमंडितः

Transliteration

svabhāsā bhāsayansarvā diśo vitimirāstadā | bhasmapāṃḍurasarvāṃgo jaṭāmaṃḍalamaṃḍitaḥ

Translation

Par sa propre radiance, il illumina toutes les directions, les rendant alors sans ténèbres. Tout son corps était blanchi de cendre sacrée, et il était orné d’une auréole de mèches emmêlées.

Word by Word

• स्वभासा: by his own light
• स्वभासा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + भासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (स्वया भासा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• भासयन्: illuminating
• भासयन्: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भास् (धातु) → भासयत् (कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘illuminating’

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural (qualifies दिशः)

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• वितिमिराः: free of darkness
• वितिमिराः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्/उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुषार्थ (विगतं तिमिरं यासाम्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural (predicate to दिशः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• भस्मपाण्डुरसर्वाङ्गः: whose whole body is pale with ash
• भस्मपाण्डुरसर्वाङ्गः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्म + पाण्डुर + सर्व + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (भस्मना पाण्डुरं सर्वाङ्गं यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• जटामण्डलमण्डितः: adorned with a circle/mass of matted hair
• जटामण्डलमण्डितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा + मण्डल + मण्डित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (जटामण्डलेन मण्डितः), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s body is ash-white; matted locks form a radiant crown; his aura lights all directions, turning the scene into a nightless expanse.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (ash-smeared, jaṭādhara form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s presence dispels inner and outer darkness; bhasma and jaṭā signify renunciation, purity, and transcendence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu sacred landscape is implied as the place where this darśana unfolds, reinforcing its māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; bhasma is referenced as Śiva’s emblem, often associated with Śaiva practice and purity.