Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

दंष्ट्राकरालमुद्धर्षं जटामंडलमंडितम् । प्रशांतं सौम्यवदनमनंताश्चर्यसंयुतम्

Transliteration

daṃṣṭrākarālamuddharṣaṃ jaṭāmaṃḍalamaṃḍitam | praśāṃtaṃ saumyavadanamanaṃtāścaryasaṃyutam

Translation

Terrible par ses crocs découverts et son élan farouche, et pourtant ornée d’un cercle de jata ; paisible, au visage doux, comblée de merveilles sans fin.

Word by Word

• दंष्ट्रा: fang(s)
• दंष्ट्रा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण-आधार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• करालम्: terrifying, formidable
• करालम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• उद्धर्षम्: exhilarating, thrilling; (also) causing agitation
• उद्धर्षम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्धर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• जटा: matted hair
• जटा: Samāsa-pūrvapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative, singular)

• मण्डल: circle, ring
• मण्डल: Samāsa-pūrvapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter, nominative, singular)

• मण्डितम्: adorned (with a circle of matted hair)
• मण्डितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मण्डित (कृदन्त; √मण्ड्/मड् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (neuter, accusative, singular; past passive participle)

• प्रशान्तम्: calm, tranquil
• प्रशान्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशान्त (कृदन्त; √शम् (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग प्र-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter, accusative, singular; past participle)

• सौम्य: gentle, pleasing
• सौम्य: Samāsa-pūrvapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter, nominative, singular)

• वदनम्: face (gentle-faced)
• वदनम्: Viśeṣya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• अनन्त: endless, infinite
• अनन्त: Samāsa-pūrvapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter, nominative, singular)

• आश्चर्य: wonder, marvel
• आश्चर्य: Samāsa-pūrvapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter, nominative, singular)

• संयुतम्: endowed with, joined with (endless wonders)
• संयुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयुत (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग सम्-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter, accusative, singular; past participle)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A form with bared fangs and fierce exaltation, crowned by a circular mass of matted locks, yet paradoxically calm and gentle-faced—an endless cascade of wondrous details.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (implied form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Goddess integrates opposites—ugra (fierce) to remove evil and saumya (gentle) to grant refuge—revealing complete divine sovereignty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpathakṣetra, as the narrative ground where such paradoxical divine majesty is witnessed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse supports meditative visualization of the deity’s comprehensive nature.