Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 59
Devanagari script
महाकायो महाजङ्घो महास्कन्धो महोदरः । महावक्षा महाबाहुर्महावक्त्रेक्षणो महान्
Transliteration
mahākāyo mahājaṅgho mahāskandho mahodaraḥ | mahāvakṣā mahābāhurmahāvaktrekṣaṇo mahān
Translation
അവൻ മഹാകായൻ, മഹാജംഘകളുള്ളവൻ, വിശാല സ്കന്ധങ്ങളും മഹോദരവും ഉള്ളവൻ. മഹാവക്ഷസ്ഥലം, ശക്തമായ ഭുജങ്ങൾ—മഹാൻ; വിശാല മുഖവും ആജ്ഞാപക ദൃഷ്ടിയും ഉള്ളവൻ.
Word by Word
महाकायःhuge-bodied
महाकायः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-काय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् कायः यस्य/महाकायः)
महाजङ्घःhaving huge legs
महाजङ्घः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः
महास्कन्धःbroad-shouldered
महास्कन्धः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः
महोदरःbig-bellied
महोदरः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-उदर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; संधिः: महा + उदर → महोदर
महावक्षाःbroad-chested
महावक्षाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वक्षस्’ नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिकस्य विशेष-प्रयोगः; कर्मधारयः
महाबाहुःmighty-armed
महाबाहुः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः
महावक्त्रेक्षणःwith a huge face and eyes
महावक्त्रेक्षणः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा-वक्त्र-ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समास-समुच्चयः (महद् वक्त्रं, महद् ईक्षणं यस्य)
महान्great
महान्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker
Unspecified (Revā Khaṇḍa narrator; likely Sūta in the frame)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Close, iconic description: Yama’s colossal physique—mighty legs, broad shoulders, great belly, massive chest, powerful arms, immense face and piercing eyes—fills the court’s center.
Characters & Entities
Y
Yama (contextual)FAQs
The formidable form symbolizes the irresistible authority of dharma and the certainty of karmic reckoning.
None; the verse is iconographic description within an otherworldly setting.
None.