Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

आलुलोके समायातं गौतमं शिष्यसेवितम् । लंबमानशिरःश्मश्रुसम्पूर्णमुखमण्डलम्

Transliteration

āluloke samāyātaṃ gautamaṃ śiṣyasevitam | laṃbamānaśiraḥśmaśrusampūrṇamukhamaṇḍalam

Translation

Il vit Gautama s’avancer, entouré du service de ses disciples ; le cercle de son visage était rempli de mèches et de barbe retombantes.

Word by Word

• आलुलोके: he looked at/saw
• आलुलोके: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समायातम्: come/arrived
• समायातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying गौतमम्)

• गौतमम्: Gautama
• गौतमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शिष्यसेवितम्: attended by disciples
• शिष्यसेवितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवित (कृदन्त; √सेव् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying गौतमम्); समासः—तत्पुरुष (शिष्यैः सेवितः)

• लम्बमान: hanging down
• लम्बमान: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (in compound)

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• श्मश्रु: beard
• श्मश्रु: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• सम्पूर्ण: filled/covered
• सम्पूर्ण: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√पॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• मुखमण्डलम्: face-circle/face
• मुखमण्डलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (qualifying गौतमम्); समासः—तत्पुरुष (मुखस्य मण्डलम्)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aruṇācala-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure (observer) sees Gautama approaching with disciples; Gautama’s face is framed by long hanging hair and beard, conveying age, austerity, and spiritual gravitas.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Śiṣyas (disciples)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse honors the visible marks of renunciation and disciplined life, supported by a community of devoted students.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Aruṇācala Māhātmya context continues to frame the story within Aruṇācala’s sacred sphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive verse emphasizing the sage’s ārṣa (ṛṣi) appearance and discipleship.