Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

ततो भस्मी जटी शूली चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखरः । उमार्द्धदेहो भगवान्भूत्वा विप्रमुवाच ह

Transliteration

tato bhasmī jaṭī śūlī candrārdhakṛtaśekharaḥ | umārddhadeho bhagavānbhūtvā vipramuvāca ha

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഭസ്മലിപ്തൻ, ജടാധാരി, ശൂലധാരി, അർദ്ധചന്ദ്രശേഖരൻ, ഉമാർദ്ധദേഹനായ ഭഗവാൻ ആയി മാറി, ആ വിപ്രനോടു അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — अनन्तरार्थे

• भस्मी: ash-smeared
• भस्मी: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मिन्/भस्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण—भस्मधारी (one smeared with ash)

• जटी: matted-haired
• जटी: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिन्/जटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—जटाधरः

• शूली: trident-bearer
• शूली: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूलिन्/शूली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—शूलधारी

• चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखरः: whose crest is made of the half-moon
• चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखरः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + अर्ध + कृत + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘चन्द्रस्य अर्धः कृतः शेखरः यस्य’ (idiomatic epithet)

• उमार्द्धदेहः: he whose body is half Umā (Ardhanārīśvara)
• उमार्द्धदेहः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा + अर्ध + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘उमायाः अर्धः देहः यस्य’

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (Action - prior)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having become)

• विप्रम्: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उवाच
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed, surely
• ह: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual); Śiva speaks next

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tirtha-zone (vision of Umā-Maheśvara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva manifests in full Śaiva splendor—ash-smeared, matted locks, trident, crescent crown—while sharing half his body with Umā, then addresses the brāhmaṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s compassionate approach is shown through form and presence—divine iconography becomes a vehicle for grace and instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa setting frames the episode; this verse emphasizes Śiva’s manifestation rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is descriptive (dhyāna/visualization-friendly iconographic detail).