Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

ते च सर्वे महीकूले ह्यभ्यषिंचन्मुदा गुहम् । ततो महास्वनामुग्रां देवदैत्यादिदर्पहाम्

Transliteration

te ca sarve mahīkūle hyabhyaṣiṃcanmudā guham | tato mahāsvanāmugrāṃ devadaityādidarpahām

Translation

Tous, sur le rivage de la terre, oignirent Guha avec joie. Alors s’éleva un rugissement immense et terrible, qui brisait l’orgueil des devas, des daityas et des autres.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महीकूले: on the earth’s shore/bank
• महीकूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महेः कूलम् = ‘shore/bank of the earth/land’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• अभ्यषिञ्चन्: anointed
• अभ्यषिञ्चन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अभि; धातु: सिच् (to sprinkle/anoint)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भाववाचक

• गुहम्: Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/thereupon’)

• महास्वनाम्: great-sounding
• महास्वनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती स्वना यस्याः/या = ‘great-sounding’)

• उग्राम्: fierce
• उग्राम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवदैत्यादिदर्पहाम्: destroyer of the pride of gods and demons, etc.
• देवदैत्यादिदर्पहाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → ह (कृदन्त, क्विप्/हन्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘देव-दैत्य-आदि- (सम्बन्ध) दर्पं हन्ति’ = ‘destroyer of the pride of gods, demons, etc.’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: mahīkūla (shore-bank consecration spot)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a broad riverbank/shore, devas and beings pour consecration waters over Guha; immediately the sky trembles with a colossal roar that silences and humbles devas, daityas, and all proud hosts.

Characters & Entities

• Guha (Skanda/Kumāra)
• Devas
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecration (abhiṣeka) is not mere ceremony: it manifests divine authority that humbles ego and restores dharmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A shoreline setting is mentioned (“mahīkūla”), but no named tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka (ritual anointing/consecration) of Guha is described.