Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

घटास्यो घटहासश्च ऊर्ध्वकेशोऽतिदीप्ति मान् । विद्युदक्षो वायुजवो यश्चेच्छेन्नाशयेज्जगत्

Transliteration

ghaṭāsyo ghaṭahāsaśca ūrdhvakeśo'tidīpti mān | vidyudakṣo vāyujavo yaścecchennāśayejjagat

Translation

Au visage pareil à une jarre et au rire pareil à une jarre, les cheveux dressés, flamboyant d’une grande splendeur; aux yeux d’éclair et rapide comme le vent—celui qui, s’il le voulait, pourrait anéantir le monde.

Word by Word

• ghaṭa-āsyaḥ: pot-faced
• ghaṭa-āsyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghaṭa + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya āsyaṃ ghaṭasadṛśam = pot-faced)

• ghaṭa-hāsaḥ: one with a (peculiar) pot-like laugh
• ghaṭa-hāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghaṭa + hāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya hāsaḥ ghaṭasadṛśaḥ/ghaṭavat = with a peculiar ‘pot-like’ laugh; epithet)

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

• ūrdhva-keśaḥ: with upright hair
• ūrdhva-keśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva + keśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya keśā ūrdhvāḥ = with hair standing upright)

• ati-dīptimān: exceedingly radiant
• ati-dīptimān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati + dīptimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (ati- उपसर्गवत् अव्ययपूर्वपदेन ‘exceedingly’); विशेषणम्

• vidyut-akṣaḥ: lightning-eyed
• vidyut-akṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidyut + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya akṣī vidyudiva = lightning-eyed)

• vāyu-javaḥ: swift as the wind
• vāyu-javaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāyu + java (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya javaḥ vāyuvat = wind-swift)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun: ‘who’)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: ‘if’)

• icchet: should wish
• icchet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (इष्, इच्छायाम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, 3rd person singular: ‘should wish’)

• nāśayet: would destroy
• nāśayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (नश्, नाशने) + caus. → nāśay (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative optative: ‘would destroy’)

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing description)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta’s audience within the Purāṇic frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifyingly radiant figure: pot-like face and uncanny laughter, hair bristling upward, eyes like lightning; his body emits blazing aura. The air around him seems wind-swept, as if reality bends to his speed and power.

Characters & Entities

• (Implied) Bhīma’s son described with ghaṭa-epithets

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Immense power is acknowledged, yet implied to be governed by will and dharma—capacity alone is not the highest principle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.