Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

भस्मोपचितसर्वाङ्गं डमरुस्वरनादितम् । उमार्द्धाङ्गहरं शान्तं गोनाथासनसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

bhasmopacitasarvāṅgaṃ ḍamarusvaranāditam | umārddhāṅgaharaṃ śāntaṃ gonāthāsanasaṃsthitam

Translation

അവൻ ആ ശാന്തനായ പ്രഭുവിനെ ധ്യാനിച്ചു—സർവ്വാംഗവും ഭസ്മം പൂശിയവൻ, ഡമരുവിന്റെ നാദം മുഴങ്ങുന്നവൻ, ഉമയെ അർദ്ധാംഗമായി ധരിച്ചവൻ, ഗോണാഥൻ (നന്ദി) ആസനത്തിൽ ഇരിക്കുന്നവൻ.

Word by Word

• bhasma: ash
• bhasma: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुषसमासे पूर्वपदम्

• upacita: covered/smeared
• upacita: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√ci (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; समासे मध्यपदम् (covered/smeared)

• sarvāṅgam: whose whole body
• sarvāṅgam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (sarvāṇi aṅgāni yasya); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्; देवस्य विशेषणम्

• ḍamaru: ḍamaru drum
• ḍamaru: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ḍamaru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुषसमासे पूर्वपदम्

• svara: sound/tone
• svara: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुषसमासे मध्यपदम्

• nāditam: resounding
• nāditam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √nad (धातु) + ita (इत)
• Form: इत-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्; देवस्य विशेषणम् (resounding)

• umā: Umā
• umā: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासे पूर्वपदम् (of Umā)

• arddha: half
• arddha: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुषसमासे मध्यपदम् (half)

• aṅga: body
• aṅga: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुषसमासे मध्यपदम् (limb/body)

• haram: bearing/holding
• haram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √hṛ (धातु) + a (अ) / hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्; देवस्य विशेषणम् (bearing)

• śāntam: peaceful
• śāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्; देवस्य विशेषणम्

• gonātha: Gonātha (bull-lord)
• gonātha: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (gāṃ nāthaḥ); समासे पूर्वपदम्; ‘गोनाथ’ इति नाम (Nandin/bull-lord)

• āsana: seat
• āsana: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुषसमासे मध्यपदम् (seat)

• saṃsthitam: seated/established
• saṃsthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्; देवस्य विशेषणम् (seated/standing upon)

Speaker

Narrator (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra dhyāna-sthala (contextual)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, vivid dhyāna-image: Śiva smeared with bhasma, the ḍamaru’s resonance implied, Ardhanārīśvara aspect with Umā as half-body, seated upon Nandin (bull-lord), serene and radiant.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Ḍamaru
• Nandin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s form unites austerity (bhasma, tapas) and grace (Umā), guiding the seeker toward inner peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The contemplation is part of the Revā/Narmadā tīrtha context, supporting the river’s māhātmya through practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Iconographic dhyāna on Śiva—visualizing ash-smeared limbs, ḍamaru resonance, and Umā as half His body.