Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

अक्षमालाधरा राजन्मद्यकुंभानुधारिणी । शक्तिं च मुशलं चोग्रं कर्तरीं खर्परं तथा

Transliteration

akṣamālādharā rājanmadyakuṃbhānudhāriṇī | śaktiṃ ca muśalaṃ cograṃ kartarīṃ kharparaṃ tathā

Translation

Wahai Raja, ia mengenakan akṣamālā (tasbih) dan memegang kendi arak. Ia pun membawa śakti (tombak), sebuah muśala yang garang, sepasang gunting, serta kharpara—mangkuk tengkorak—pula.

Word by Word

• अक्षमालाधरा: wearing a rosary
• अक्षमालाधरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षमाला (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (धातु √धृ, कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृत्-प्रत्ययः—ण्वुल्/अ (धार) भावे/कर्तरि; विशेषणरूपेण

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• मद्यकुम्भानुधारिणी: bearing a pot of liquor (following/along)
• मद्यकुम्भानुधारिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + अनु (उपसर्ग) + धर (धातु √धृ, कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—मद्यकुम्भ (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय) + अनुधारिणी (कर्तरि वर्तमानकृदन्त-प्राय)

• शक्तिम्: a spear/lance
• शक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• मुशलम्: a pestle/club
• मुशलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• उग्रम्: fierce, terrible
• उग्रम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मुशलम्/शस्त्रम् इत्यादेः)

• कर्तरीम्: a pair of scissors/knife (cutting instrument)
• कर्तरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• खर्परम्: a skull-bowl/earthen bowl
• खर्परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

Speaker

Vyāsa (narrative voice implied in this passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (Yudhiṣṭhira implied by surrounding verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce yet composed Goddess stands in a forest clearing, rosary in one hand and a wine-jar in another, with spear, pestle, scissors, and skull-bowl displayed as emblems of power and ritual mastery.

Characters & Entities

• Rājan (address to the king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The rosary and weapons together teach that spiritual discipline (japa) and righteous power must unite to protect dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya setting continues; the verse is not a tīrtha-glorification line by itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the rosary (akṣamālā) implicitly points to japa as a dharmic practice.