Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

दन्तेन्दुकांतिविध्वस्तभक्तमोहमहाभया । खड्गचर्मशूलपात्रचतुर्भुजविराजिता

Transliteration

dantendukāṃtividhvastabhaktamohamahābhayā | khaḍgacarmaśūlapātracaturbhujavirājitā

Translation

Par l’éclat lunaire de ses dents, la grande peur née de l’illusion des dévots fut dissipée. Elle resplendissait, à quatre bras, portant l’épée, la peau, le trident et le bol d’aumône.

Word by Word

• dantendukāṃtividhvastabhaktamohamahābhayā: whose moonlike tooth-radiance destroys devotees’ delusion and great fear
• dantendukāṃtividhvastabhaktamohamahābhayā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of devī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: danta (दन्त) + indu (इन्दु) + kānti (कान्ति) + vidhvasta (विध्वस्त) + bhakta (भक्त) + moha (मोह) + mahābhaya (महाभय) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘दन्तेन्दुकान्त्या विध्वस्तं भक्तमोहमहाभयं यस्याः/या’ (by the moonlike radiance of her teeth, the devotees’ delusion and great fear are destroyed)

• khaḍgacarmaśūlapātracaturbhujavirājitā: resplendent with four arms (holding sword, hide, trident, bowl)
• khaḍgacarmaśūlapātracaturbhujavirājitā: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of devī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khaḍga (खड्ग) + carma (चर्म) + śūla (शूल) + pātra (पात्र) + caturbhuja (चतुर्भुज) + virājitā (विराजिता) (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘खड्ग-चर्म-शूल-पात्र-चतुर्भुजैः विराजिता’ (resplendent with four arms bearing sword, hide/shield, trident, and bowl)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī smiles; moonlike teeth radiate, dispelling devotees’ delusion-born terror. She stands four-armed, holding sword, hide, trident, and bowl—an awe-inspiring yet protective stance.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavatī (Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devī’s grace removes fear and delusion; her weapons symbolize protection and the destruction of inner darkness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; the focus is on Devī’s protective manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the implied practice is devotion (bhakti) and taking refuge in the Devī.