Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

पराङ्गमुखाश्च संजाता भृङ्गी चैव महातपाः । तथा चण्डो हि मुण्डश्च महालोमा महोदरः

Transliteration

parāṅgamukhāśca saṃjātā bhṛṅgī caiva mahātapāḥ | tathā caṇḍo hi muṇḍaśca mahālomā mahodaraḥ

Translation

Ils détournèrent le visage, saisis de honte, et devinrent abattus — Bhṛṅgī et d’autres grands ascètes ; de même Caṇḍa et Muṇḍa, Mahāloman et Mahodara aussi.

Word by Word

• पराङ्गमुखाः: with faces turned away
• पराङ्गमुखाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — पराङ्मुखं मुखं येषाम् ‘those whose faces turned away’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक — ‘and’

• संजाताः: became
• संजाताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-जात (कृदन्त; जन्+क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘became/arose’ (predicative)

• भृङ्गी: Bhṛṅgī
• भृङ्गी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्गिन्/भृङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name ‘Bhṛṅgī’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक — ‘and’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात — ‘indeed/just’

• महातपाः: great ascetics
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातपस् (प्रातिपदिक; महा+तपस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘great ascetics’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय — ‘thus/likewise’

• चण्डः: Caṇḍa
• चण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name ‘Caṇḍa’

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — causal/emphatic ‘indeed/for’

• मुण्डः: Muṇḍa
• मुण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name ‘Muṇḍa’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक — ‘and’

• महालोमा: Mahālomā
• महालोमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘one having great hair/body-hair’ (proper epithet/name)

• महोदरः: Mahodara
• महोदरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उदर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘big-bellied one’ (proper epithet/name)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (contextual attribution, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tableau of Śiva’s attendants: Bhṛṅgī the austere, and fierce gaṇas like Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, all turning their faces away, shoulders hunched, eyes downcast—collective shame rippling through the retinue.

Characters & Entities

• Bhṛṅgī
• Caṇḍa
• Muṇḍa
• Mahāloman
• Mahodara
• Śiva-gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted attendants of Śiva can experience humility and withdrawal when dharma and decorum are challenged; shame becomes a catalyst for reflection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative sits within Kedārakhaṇḍa, oriented to the sanctity of Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra in the Himalayan sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it sets narrative context about Śiva’s gaṇas.