Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 128

Devanagari script

माली मौली पताकी च जटी मुंडी शिखंड्यपि । कुण्डली लांगली बालः कुमारः प्रवरो वरः

Transliteration

mālī maulī patākī ca jaṭī muṃḍī śikhaṃḍyapi | kuṇḍalī lāṃgalī bālaḥ kumāraḥ pravaro varaḥ

Translation

നീ മാലാധാരി, മൗലിധാരി, പതാകാധാരി; ജടാധാരി, മുണ്ഡിതശിരസ്സൻ, ശിഖണ്ഡിയുമാണ്. നീ കുണ്ഡലധാരി, ലാങ്ഗലധാരി, ദിവ്യ ബാലൻ—കുമാരൻ—അത്യുത്തമൻ, പരമ വരൻ.

Word by Word

• mālī: garlanded one
• mālī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; -इन्/ई-प्रत्ययान्त

• maulī: crowned one
• maulī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maulin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मौलिः (crowned/with crest-jewel)

• patākī: banner-bearing one
• patākī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patākin (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पताका-युक्तः

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• jaṭī: matted-haired one
• jaṭī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जटा-युक्तः

• muṃḍī: shaven-headed one
• muṃḍī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṃḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मुण्ड-युक्तः/मुण्डितः

• śikhaṃḍī: crested one
• śikhaṃḍī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhaṃḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिखण्ड-युक्तः (with a crest/tuft)

• api: also
• api: Samuccaya (Addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• kuṇḍalī: earring-wearing one
• kuṇḍalī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍalin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कुण्डल-युक्तः

• lāṃgalī: plough-bearing one
• lāṃgalī: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāṃgalin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; लाङ्गल-युक्तः (bearing a plough)

• bālaḥ: child
• bālaḥ: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kumāraḥ: Kumāra
• kumāraḥ: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषनाम (Kumāra)

• pravaraḥ: most excellent
• pravaraḥ: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अतिशय-श्रेष्ठार्थक

• varaḥ: the best
• varaḥ: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्रेष्ठः

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composite iconographic montage of Kumāra: youthful face, garland and crown, a victory banner; alternately shown with jaṭā or shaven head, with a crest/śikhā; wearing earrings; holding or associated with a plough (lāṅgala). The scene can be rendered as multiple vignettes around a central Kumāra figure to show ‘many forms, one deity’.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kumāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The many epithets celebrate the deity’s manifold forms—showing that divine power accommodates diverse modes of worship and contemplation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse is iconographic praise within the 108 names.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it supports dhyāna (meditative visualization) through descriptive names.