Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

गंगातरंगसंपृक्तजटामण्डलधारिणे । नमस्तेस्तु विरूपाक्ष बाल शीतांशुधारिणे

Transliteration

gaṃgātaraṃgasaṃpṛktajaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇe | namastestu virūpākṣa bāla śītāṃśudhāriṇe

Translation

Hommage à Toi qui portes la couronne de mèches emmêlées mêlées aux vagues du Gaṅgā ; hommage à Toi, ô Virūpākṣa, qui portes la jeune lune.

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-तरङ्ग-संपृक्त-जटा-मण्डल-धारिणे: to the bearer of a matted-hair circle intertwined with the waves of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-तरङ्ग-संपृक्त-जटा-मण्डल-धारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + संपृक्त (कृदन्त, सम्+पृच् धातु) + जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; धारिन्-शब्दः (possessor)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी) एकवचन (dative)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive use), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विरूपाक्ष: O Virūpākṣa (odd/varied-eyed one)
• विरूपाक्ष: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• बाल: O youthful one
• बाल: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• शीतांशु-धारिणे: to the bearer of the cool-rayed moon
• शीतांशु-धारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीतांशु (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

Speaker

Gāyatrī and Sarasvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Rāmeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close iconographic portrait of Śiva: matted locks interwoven with Gaṅgā’s waves; a young crescent moon rests in the hair; his eyes are ‘virūpa’—mystically asymmetrical or uniquely powerful—radiating transcendence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaṅgā
• Virūpākṣa
• Moon (Śītāṃśu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva harmonizes mighty forces—Gaṅgā’s flood and the moon’s coolness—symbolizing controlled power guided by compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Though the imagery is pan-Śaiva, it appears within Setukhaṇḍa’s Setu pilgrimage narrative praising Śiva’s manifest presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stotra focusing on Śiva’s sacred marks (jaṭā, Gaṅgā, candra) as contemplative praise.