Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

संवर्त्ताग्निसमाटोपं जटामंडलशोभितम् । अक्षीणभालनयनं ज्वालाम्लानमुखत्विषम्

Transliteration

saṃvarttāgnisamāṭopaṃ jaṭāmaṃḍalaśobhitam | akṣīṇabhālanayanaṃ jvālāmlānamukhatviṣam

Translation

彼はサンヴァルタの烈火、宇宙溶解の炎のごとく猛々しく、結い固めたジャターの輪に飾られていた。額の眼は尽きることなく、顔は炎のような光輝に満ちていた。

Word by Word

• संवर्त्ताग्निसमाटोपम्: having a blaze/uproar like the fire of cosmic dissolution
• संवर्त्ताग्निसमाटोपम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवर्त-आग्नि-सम-आटोप (प्रातिपदिक; संवर्त + अग्नि + सम + आटोप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जटामण्डलशोभितम्: adorned with a circle/mass of matted hair
• जटामण्डलशोभितम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा-मण्डल-शोभित (प्रातिपदिक; जटा + मण्डल + शोभित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) from √शुभ्/√शोभ् ‘to shine/adorn’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अक्षीणभालनयनम्: with an unfailing (ever-open) forehead-eye
• अक्षीणभालनयनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-क्षीण-भाल-नयन (प्रातिपदिक; अ + क्षीण + भाल + नयन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ज्वालाम्लानमुखत्विषम्: whose face-luster is unfading like flame
• ज्वालाम्लानमुखत्विषम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला-अम्लान-मुख-त्विष् (प्रातिपदिक; ज्वाला + अम्लान + मुख + त्विष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa framing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva stands or sits in majestic stillness, yet his aura is like saṃvarta fire; a grand halo of matted locks frames his head; the third eye shines unblinking; his face glows with flame-like luster.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃvartāgni
• Jaṭā (Śiva’s matted locks)
• Bhālanayana (third eye of Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva embodies both awe-inspiring dissolution and protective sovereignty—his ‘third eye’ signifies transcendent knowledge and power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the focus is on Rudra’s cosmic iconography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a visionary description meant to inspire reverence and contemplation.