Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

महोक्षस्यंदनगमं विरुताजगवायुधम् । गजाजिनोत्तरासंगं दशार्धवदनं शुभम्

Transliteration

mahokṣasyaṃdanagamaṃ virutājagavāyudham | gajājinottarāsaṃgaṃ daśārdhavadanaṃ śubham

Translation

മഹോക്ഷൻ (നന്ദി)യെ യാനമാക്കി ഗമിക്കുന്നവൻ; വിരാട അജഗവം (മഹാധനുസ്സ്) ആയുധമായി ധരിക്കുന്നവൻ; ഗജചർമ്മം ഉത്തരാസംഗമായി ധരിച്ചവൻ; അവന്റെ ശുഭമുഖം ദശ-അഷ്ട (അഷ്ടാദശ) രൂപങ്ങളാൽ ദീപ്തം।

Word by Word

• महा: great
• महा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; विशेषण (great)

• उक्ष: bull
• उक्ष: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)

• स्यन्दन: chariot, vehicle
• स्यन्दन: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)

• गमम्: moving/going (as a vehicle)
• गमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु से कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (going/riding)

• विरुत: resounding
• विरुत: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरुत (√रु धातु; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; विशेषण (resounding)

• अजगव: bow (ajagava)
• अजगव: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)

• आयुधम्: weapon
• आयुधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• गजाजिन: elephant-hide
• गजाजिन: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-अजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग); समासः—तत्पुरुष (गजस्य अजिनम्)

• उत्तर: upper
• उत्तर: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग); विशेषण (upper)

• आसङ्गम्: drape, attachment, garment
• आसङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• दश: tooth
• दश: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)

• अर्ध: half
• अर्ध: Sambandha (Compound relation/समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग)

• वदनम्: face, mouth
• वदनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Viśveśvara as protector)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva in a powerful stance: Nandin (great bull) as vehicle/chariot, Pināka bow held with ease, elephant-hide draped as upper garment, and an awe-inspiring many-faced (eighteen-faced) radiance suggesting omnidirectional guardianship.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Nandin (Bull)
• Ājagava (Bow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the supreme protector and ruler of cosmic forces, depicted through powerful emblems (bull, bow, formidable attire).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting; this verse focuses on Śiva’s majestic form rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct instruction; the verse supports icon-based worship (mūrti/dhyāna) and remembrance of Śiva’s protective power.