Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

व्यालीढांगा महादेवा बलिनो नीलकंधराः । चंद्रखंडत्रिपुंड्राश्च पिंगाक्षाः शूलपाणयः

Transliteration

vyālīḍhāṃgā mahādevā balino nīlakaṃdharāḥ | caṃdrakhaṃḍatripuṃḍrāśca piṃgākṣāḥ śūlapāṇayaḥ

Translation

ആ മഹാദേവന്മാർ വ്യാലീഢമുദ്രയിൽ നിലകൊണ്ടു—അത്യന്തം ബലവാന്മാർ, നീലകണ്ഠന്മാർ; ശിരസ്സിൽ ചന്ദ്രഖണ്ഡവും ലലാട്ടിൽ ത്രിപുണ്ഡ്രവും ധരിച്ചു, പിംഗളനേത്രന്മാർ, കൈകളിൽ ത്രിശൂലധാരികൾ।

Word by Word

• व्यालीढाङ्गाः: having serpent-licked/serpent-embraced limbs
• व्यालीढाङ्गाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यालीढ (कृदन्त; √लीढ्/√लिह्) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘व्यालीढानि अङ्गानि येषाम्’ (having limbs licked/embraced by a serpent)

• महादेवाः: great gods (Mahādevas)
• महादेवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘महान् देवः’

• बलिनः: strong, powerful
• बलिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बलयुक्ताः (possessing strength)

• नीलकन्धराः: blue-necked
• नीलकन्धराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘नीला कन्धरा येषाम्/नीलकन्धरः’

• चन्द्रखण्डत्रिपुण्ड्राः: bearing a crescent-moon piece and the triple sacred ash marks
• चन्द्रखण्डत्रिपुण्ड्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (संख्या) + पुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; ‘चन्द्रखण्डं (मस्तके) त्रिपुण्ड्रं च येषाम्’ (bearing moon-fragment and triple sacred marks)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पिङ्गाक्षाः: yellow-/tawny-eyed
• पिङ्गाक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘पिङ्गे अक्षिणी/अक्षे येषाम्’

• शूलपाणयः: trident-bearers
• शूलपाणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘शूलः पाणौ येषाम्’ (having tridents in hand)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of Mahādeva-like Rudras in vyālīḍha stance, blue-throated, crescent on the matted hair, tripuṇḍra on foreheads, tawny eyes, each gripping a trident; a battlefield-protective tableau.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevas (Rudras)
• Tripuṇḍra
• Śūla (trident)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma’s protection is portrayed through Śaiva power—steadfastness, purity (bhasma marks), and righteous strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on Śaiva iconography and divine readiness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; tripuṇḍra is an identifying mark rather than an instruction here.