Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

वक्त्रैर्मुंचन्महाज्वालां रेपलेन्द्रोऽभ्यधावत । तं धावमानं दृष्ट्वैव बर्बरीको महाबलः

Transliteration

vaktrairmuṃcanmahājvālāṃ repalendro'bhyadhāvata | taṃ dhāvamānaṃ dṛṣṭvaiva barbarīko mahābalaḥ

Translation

Repalendra s’élança, vomissant de ses bouches d’immenses flammes. Le voyant fondre ainsi, le puissant Barbarīka s’avança à son tour pour l’affronter.

Word by Word

• वक्त्रैः: with (his) mouths
• वक्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मुंचन्: releasing
• मुंचन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; अर्थः ‘मुञ्चन्’ (releasing)

• महाज्वालाम्: a great flame
• महाज्वालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रेपलेन्द्रः: Repalendra (a lord named Repala)
• रेपलेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेपल + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (lord/king named Repala)

• अभ्यधावत: ran towards / charged
• अभ्यधावत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अभि-

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (pronoun)

• धावमानम्: running
• धावमानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तम्’ इति विशेषणम् (running)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis: indeed/just)

• बर्बरीकः: Barbarīka
• बर्बरीकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्बरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper noun)

• महाबलः: mighty
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (very strong)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Repalendra, a gigantic multi-mouthed being, rushes forward emitting great flames; Barbarīka, immensely strong, steps forward to meet the charge head-on.

Characters & Entities

• Repalendra
• Barbarīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Courage aligned with dharma does not retreat before frightening power; it confronts it directly for the protection of order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly praised in this verse; it is part of a heroic episode within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.