Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

भस्मत्रिपुण्ड्रकोपेतविशालनिटिलोज्वलम् । शुक्लयज्ञोपवीतेन पूर्णं रुद्राक्षदामभिः

Transliteration

bhasmatripuṇḍrakopetaviśālaniṭilojvalam | śuklayajñopavītena pūrṇaṃ rudrākṣadāmabhiḥ

Translation

Il brillait, le large front marqué du tripuṇḍra de cendre sacrée ; portant le yajñopavīta blanc, il était entièrement orné de guirlandes de rudrākṣa.

Word by Word

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

• त्रिपुण्ड्रक: three ash-marks (tripuṇḍra)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रक: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + पुण्ड्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (त्रयः पुण्ड्रकाः)

• उपेत: endowed with
• उपेत: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

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

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

• उज्ज्वलम्: shining
• उज्ज्वलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying गौतमम् understood)

• शुक्ल: white
• शुक्ल: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• यज्ञोपवीतेन: with the sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (यज्ञस्य उपवीतम्)

• पूर्णम्: filled/adorned
• पूर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying गौतमम् understood)

• रुद्राक्षदामभिः: with garlands/strings of rudrākṣa
• रुद्राक्षदामभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + दामन्/दाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रुद्राक्षाणां दामानि)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aruṇācala-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of Gautama’s broad forehead shining with tripuṇḍra ash lines; white sacred thread across the torso; multiple rudrākṣa garlands covering him.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer marks like tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa symbolize inner Śaiva devotion and disciplined sacred living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Aruṇācala (Arunachala) is the setting of the Aruṇācalamāhātmya within the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wearing tripuṇḍra (bhasma marks), yajñopavīta, and rudrākṣa—devotional observances associated with Śiva worship.