Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

कुंदेंदुधवलाकारं नागाभरणभूषितम् । वरदाभयहस्तं च बिभ्राणं परशुं मृगम्

Transliteration

kuṃdeṃdudhavalākāraṃ nāgābharaṇabhūṣitam | varadābhayahastaṃ ca bibhrāṇaṃ paraśuṃ mṛgam

Translation

कुंद और चंद्रमा के समान धवल रूप वाले, नाग-आभूषणों से विभूषित—एक हाथ वर देने वाला, एक अभय देने वाला, तथा परशु और मृग धारण करने वाले प्रभु का ध्यान करे।

Word by Word

• कुन्द: jasmine
• कुन्द: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• इन्दु: moon
• इन्दु: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• धवल: white
• धवल: Visheshana (Qualifier in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• आकारम्: form; appearance
• आकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासान्त-पद (in compound)

• कुन्देन्दुधवलाकारम्: having a form white like jasmine and the moon
• कुन्देन्दुधवलाकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुन्द + इन्दु + धवल + आकार (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (कुन्देन्दुधवलः आकारः यस्य)

• नागाभरणभूषितम्: adorned with serpent-ornaments
• नागाभरणभूषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग + आभरण + भूषित (भूष् धातु; क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (नागैः/नागानाम् आभरणैः भूषितम्)

• वरदाभयहस्तम्: whose hands grant boons and fearlessness
• वरदाभयहस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद + अभय + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वरदः अभयश्च—एतेषां हस्तः/हस्तौ यस्य)

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

• बिभ्राणम्: bearing; holding
• बिभ्राणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘bearing/holding’

• परशुम्: axe
• परशुम्: Karma (Object held)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृगम्: deer
• मृगम्: Karma (Object held)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva in luminous white, adorned with coiled serpents as ornaments, four arms displayed: varada and abhaya gestures, with an axe and a deer; calm yet powerful presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse teaches devotional visualization: seeing Śiva as pure, protective, beneficent, and master of ascetic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the focus is Śiva’s dhyāna-form used in worship at many Śaiva kṣetras.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A guided meditation specifying Śiva’s form and the emblems in His hands (boon, fearlessness, axe, deer).