Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

तत्र भैरवरूपेण स्थापयित्वा महेश्वरम् । भुजोद्यतोग्रशूलाग्रविद्धान्धककलेवरम्

Transliteration

tatra bhairavarūpeṇa sthāpayitvā maheśvaram | bhujodyatograśūlāgraviddhāndhakakalevaram

Translation

«Là, établis Maheśvara sous la forme de Bhairava : le bras levé, la pointe de son trident farouche transperçant le corps d’Andhaka, l’asura.»

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• भैरवरूपेण: in the form of Bhairava
• भैरवरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव+रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भैरवस्य रूपम्)

• स्थापयित्वा: having installed/established
• स्थापयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्था √स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative स्थापय) + क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having caused to be established

• महेश्वरम्: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् ईश्वरः)

• भुजोद्यतोग्रशूलाग्रविद्धान्धककलेवरम्: (him) whose body of Andhaka was pierced by the tip of the raised fierce trident-arm
• भुजोद्यतोग्रशूलाग्रविद्धान्धककलेवरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज+उद्यत+उग्र+शूल+अग्र+विद्ध+अन्धक+कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (विशेषण) — 'भुज-उद्यत-उग्र-शूल-अग्रेण विद्धम् अन्धकस्य कलेवरम्' इति अर्थसंघातः

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha (continuing instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic installation scene: Bhairava-Maheśvara with raised arm, fierce trident piercing Andhaka’s body; attendants recoil; the king and priests perform consecration rites with fire and water nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Bhairava
• Andhaka
• Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred iconography embodies dharma’s victory over adharma—Bhairava as the protective, obstacle-destroying power of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, where the king is instructed to install Śiva as Bhairava.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pratiṣṭhā (installation) of Maheśvara in Bhairava-rūpa with specific iconographic features.