Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

चारुप्रसन्न वदनं तथा सर्वागसुंदरम् । तं दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं गांगेयं प्रथितात्मकम्

Transliteration

cāruprasanna vadanaṃ tathā sarvāgasuṃdaram | taṃ dṛṣṭvā mahadāścaryaṃ gāṃgeyaṃ prathitātmakam

Translation

അവന്റെ മുഖം മനോഹരവും പ്രസന്നവുമായിരുന്നു; അവൻ സർവ്വാംഗസുന്ദരൻ. ആ പ്രസിദ്ധനായ ഗാംഗേയനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ അവർക്ക് മഹത്തായ അത്ഭുതം തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• चारुप्रसन्नवदनम्: with a lovely, serene face
• चारुप्रसन्नवदनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'चारु च प्रसन्नं च वदनं यस्य'

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरम्: beautiful in every limb
• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'सर्वेषु अङ्गेषु सुन्दरम्'

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावः (gerund): 'having seen'

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'great' (āścaryasya viśeṣaṇam)

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder, amazement
• आश्चर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गाङ्गेयम्: Gāṅgeya (Skanda)
• गाङ्गेयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रथितात्मकम्: of renowned nature
• प्रथितात्मकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + थि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'प्रथितः आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्य' (renowned in nature); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त + तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The onlookers behold Gaṅgeya’s serene, lovely face and perfect beauty in every limb; their expressions shift into collective astonishment—hands folded, eyes widened, bodies stilled in reverent wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgeya (Skanda/Kumāra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred awe (āścarya) arises when the heart encounters the divine; wonder becomes a gateway to faith and surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakhaṇḍa), framed as a place where divine manifestations inspire adbhuta-rasa (holy wonder).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as stuti through description, fostering remembrance and devotion.