Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पंचवक्त्रो गणाध्यक्षो दशबाहुस्त्रिलोचनः । कांतस्फटिकसंकाशो नीलकंठो गजाननः

Transliteration

paṃcavaktro gaṇādhyakṣo daśabāhustrilocanaḥ | kāṃtasphaṭikasaṃkāśo nīlakaṃṭho gajānanaḥ

Translation

അവൻ പഞ്ചവക്ത്രൻ, ഗണങ്ങളുടെ അധ്യക്ഷൻ, ദശബാഹു, ത്രിലോചനൻ; കാന്തിയുള്ള സ്ഫടികസമാനപ്രഭ, നീലകണ്ഠൻ, ഗജാനനൻ.

Word by Word

• पञ्चवक्त्रः: five-faced
• पञ्चवक्त्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (पञ्च वक्त्राणि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गणाध्यक्षः: chief of the gaṇas
• गणाध्यक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणानाम् अध्यक्षः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशबाहुः: ten-armed
• दशबाहुः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (दश बाहवः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रिलोचनः: three-eyed
• त्रिलोचनः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कान्तस्फटिकसंकाशः: resembling shining crystal
• कान्तस्फटिकसंकाशः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्त + स्फटिक + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कान्त-स्फटिकस्य संकाशः = like shining crystal); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीलकण्ठः: blue-throated
• नीलकण्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: कर्मधारय (नीलः कण्ठः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गजाननः: elephant-faced
• गजाननः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज + आनन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: कर्मधारय (गजस्य आननम् इव आननं यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic Gaṇeśa appears in vision: five faces, ten arms holding varied weapons/boons, three eyes, crystal-like radiance, a blue throat, elephant head—standing as Gaṇādhyakṣa amid a subtle host of gaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇādhyakṣa (Gaṇeśa)
• Trilocana
• Nīlakaṇṭha
• Gajānana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Meditative visualization (dhyāna) uses sacred iconography to focus the mind on the deity’s cosmic powers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a dhyāna-style description within Kedārakhaṇḍa; it does not directly praise a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied dhyāna: contemplate Gaṇeśa in this described form as part of worship.