Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

पंचवक्त्रो महादेवो बाहुभिर्द्दशभिर्वृतः । तथा मरकतश्यामकंधरोऽतीवसुंदरम्

Transliteration

paṃcavaktro mahādevo bāhubhirddaśabhirvṛtaḥ | tathā marakataśyāmakaṃdharo'tīvasuṃdaram

Translation

മഹാദേവൻ പഞ്ചവക്ത്രൻ, ദശഭുജങ്ങളാൽ സമന്വിതൻ; അവന്റെ കണ്ഠ-സ്കന്ധങ്ങൾ മരകതശ്യാമമായി അത്യന്തം സുന്ദരമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

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

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (the great god)
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• बाहुभिः: with arms
• बाहुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दशभिः: ten
• दशभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (बाहुभिः)

• वृतः: surrounded/encircled
• वृतः: Karta (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; (surrounded/encircled)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे

• मरकतश्यामकन्धरः: whose neck is emerald-dark
• मरकतश्यामकन्धरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरकत + श्याम + कन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मरकत इव श्यामः कन्धरः यस्य)

• अतीवसुन्दरम्: exceedingly beautiful
• अतीवसुन्दरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय) + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अतीव = intensifier)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-level deduction within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand theophany of Mahādeva: five faces oriented to the quarters and zenith, ten arms bearing symbolic gestures/weapons, with an emerald-dark neck/shoulders, radiating beauty and authority.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahādeva)
• Pañcavaktra Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Multiple faces and arms symbolize Śiva’s all-encompassing powers—protection, governance, grace, and the mastery of cosmic functions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, the Himalayan Śaiva tīrtha celebrated in the Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; it is iconographic praise (dhyāna-oriented description).