Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

रौरवश्चापि लंबोष्ठो वणिजः सुजटालिकः । सुगंधो हुहुकश्चैव नौमि पातालरक्षकान्

Transliteration

rauravaścāpi laṃboṣṭho vaṇijaḥ sujaṭālikaḥ | sugaṃdho huhukaścaiva naumi pātālarakṣakān

Translation

Je me prosterne aussi devant Raurava, Laṃboṣṭha (aux lèvres épaisses), Vaṇija, Sujaṭālika (aux mèches bien nattées), Sugandha (le parfumé) et Huhuka — ces gardiens de Pātāla, les régions souterraines.

Word by Word

• रौरवः: Raurava (name)
• रौरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; also/indeed)

• लम्बोष्ठः: Long-lipped (name/epithet)
• लम्बोष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लम्ब + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (लम्बः ओष्ठः यस्य)

• वणिजः: merchant (name/epithet)
• वणिजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुजटालिकः: well-matted-haired (name/epithet)
• सुजटालिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + जटालिक (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सु- = good/well)

• सुगन्धः: fragrant; Sugandha (name)
• सुगन्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (good fragrance)

• हुहुकः: Huhuka (name)
• हुहुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुहुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• नौमि: I bow (salute)
• नौमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पातालरक्षकान्: the protectors of the netherworld
• पातालरक्षकान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पातालस्य रक्षकाः)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pātāla (cosmic region)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers namaskāra to a row of formidable underworld guardians—each with distinct physiognomy (thick lips, matted hair, fragrant aura, roaring presence)—standing at jeweled gates of Pātāla with nāga motifs and subterranean glow.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla (field/temple guardians)
• Raurava
• Laṃboṣṭha
• Vaṇija
• Sujaṭālika
• Sugandha
• Huhuka
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection of dharma extends through all realms; invoking guardians affirms the sanctity and order of the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises guardian beings rather than naming a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Namaskāra to the pātāla-rakṣakas as part of a wider guardian-worship procedure.