Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कर्णद्वये धारयंतं तथा कर्कोटकेन हि । पुलहेन च बाहुभ्यां धारयंतं च कंकणे

Transliteration

karṇadvaye dhārayaṃtaṃ tathā karkoṭakena hi | pulahena ca bāhubhyāṃ dhārayaṃtaṃ ca kaṃkaṇe

Translation

Ils le virent portant (des serpents) à ses deux oreilles—à savoir Karkoṭaka—et portant aussi Pulaha sur ses bras comme des bracelets.

Word by Word

• कर्णद्वये: in/on the pair of ears
• कर्णद्वये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ कर्णौ = कर्णद्वयम्), तत्र सप्तमी

• धारयन्तम्: bearing, wearing
• धारयन्तम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धारयन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (शंभुम्/तम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• कर्कोटकेन: by/with (the serpent) Karkoṭaka
• कर्कोटकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कोटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• पुलहेन: by/with Pulaha
• पुलहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• बाहुभ्याम्: with the two arms
• बाहुभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• धारयन्तम्: bearing, wearing
• धारयन्तम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धारयन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तम्/शंभुम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

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

• कङ्कणे: in/on the bracelet/armlet
• कङ्कणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कङ्कण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) describing the vision

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s ears adorned with the serpent Karkoṭaka as living earrings; arms encircled with Pulaha as bracelets; devas observe these uncanny ornaments with composed awe.

Characters & Entities

• Karkoṭaka
• Pulaha (as nāga-name in context)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

What appears terrifying in the world becomes sanctified and subdued in the presence of Mahādeva—symbolizing mastery over fear and poison through divine refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra), the Himalayan tīrtha celebrated in the Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is given; the verse continues the darśana-description that supports devotional contemplation (dhyāna) of Śiva.