Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

शिखामाबद्ध्य दिग्बंधं कृत्वा रेभे ततो विधिम् । मध्ये वै मंडलस्यापि कुंडे शुभ्रे त्रिमेखलं

Transliteration

śikhāmābaddhya digbaṃdhaṃ kṛtvā rebhe tato vidhim | madhye vai maṃḍalasyāpi kuṃḍe śubhre trimekhalaṃ

Translation

Ayant noué la mèche du sommet (śikhā) et établi la protection des directions (digbandha), il commença alors le rite prescrit. Au centre même du maṇḍala, dans un kuṇḍa pur et blanc, il disposa l’agencement à triple ceinture (trimēkhala).

Word by Word

• शिखाम्: the topknot
• शिखाम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आबद्ध्य: having tied
• आबद्ध्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund): 'having tied/bound'

• दिग्बन्धम्: directional warding/binding
• दिग्बन्धम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दिशां बन्धः = directional binding/warding)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• रेभे: began/undertook
• रेभे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रिया-विशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थे

• विधिम्: the rite/procedure
• विधिम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (in the middle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/assurance)

• मण्डलस्य: of the circle/diagram
• मण्डलस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• कुण्डे: in the fire-pit
• कुण्डे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• शुभ्रे: bright/white, pure
• शुभ्रे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies कुण्डे)

• त्रिमेखलम्: having three girdles/bands
• त्रिमेखलम्: कर्म (Karman/Object; implied item placed/arranged)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः द्विगु (त्रयः मेखलाः यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddhāmbikā-sthāna

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sādhaka ties his topknot, performs directional protection, and prepares a spotless white fire-pit at the mandala’s center with a tri-girdled arrangement.

Characters & Entities

• Digbandha (directional protection)
• Maṇḍala
• Kuṇḍa (fire-pit)
• Tri-mekhalā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sādhana unites inner discipline with outer correctness—protection, purity, and method support realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Siddhāmbikā-centered Kāśī setting is implied as the sanctified ground where such rites properly bear fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śikhā-bandhana (tying the topknot), digbandha (directional protection), and preparing a clean central kuṇḍa with a tri-mekhalā arrangement for the rite.