Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

बबंध प्रणयोदारविस्फारितविलोचनः । कपर्द्दं शोभनं विष्णुः स्वय चक्रेऽस्य हर्षतः

Transliteration

babaṃdha praṇayodāravisphāritavilocanaḥ | kaparddaṃ śobhanaṃ viṣṇuḥ svaya cakre'sya harṣataḥ

Translation

ഉദാരസ്നേഹത്താൽ വിശാലമായ കണ്ണുകളോടെ നിന്ന അവനുവേണ്ടി, വിഷ്ണു സന്തോഷത്തോടെ സ്വന്തം കൈകളാൽ ശോഭനമായ കപർദം (ജടാമുകുടം) ഉണ്ടാക്കി കെട്ടി നൽകി.

Word by Word

• बबन्ध: bound, fastened
• बबन्ध: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• प्रणयोदारविस्फारितविलोचनः: whose eyes were wide-opened with affectionate warmth
• प्रणयोदारविस्फारितविलोचनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of viṣṇuḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणय + उदार + विस्फारित + विलोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य विलोचने प्रणयेन उदारेण विस्फारिते’ (whose eyes are widely opened with affectionate generosity)

• कपर्दम्: a hair-knot, braid/topknot
• कपर्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• शोभनम्: beautiful
• शोभनम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying kapardam)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; आत्मकर्तृवाचक (by oneself)

• चक्रे: made, fashioned
• चक्रे: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• अस्य: of him (for him)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्

• हर्षतः: from joy, out of delight
• हर्षतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचनम्; हेतौ (cause: ‘out of joy’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu, eyes widened with affectionate joy, uses his own hands to fashion and tie a splendid kaparda (topknot) for Śiva; attendants watch in awe at the intimacy of divine friendship.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śiva (implied: asya; wedding preparation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True divinity expresses itself as loving service; even Viṣṇu participates in honoring Śiva, teaching harmony beyond sectarian division.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it glorifies the sacred act of divine participation in Śiva’s wedding.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it depicts auspicious adornment as part of vivāha-saṃskāra symbolism.