Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

त्रिगंभीरं चतुर्हस्तं सप्तरक्तं महीपते । षडुन्नतं पञ्चदीर्घं पश्चसूक्ष्मं सुसुन्दरम्

Transliteration

trigaṃbhīraṃ caturhastaṃ saptaraktaṃ mahīpate | ṣaḍunnataṃ pañcadīrghaṃ paścasūkṣmaṃ susundaram

Translation

ഹേ മഹീപതേ! അവന്റെ രൂപം ത്രിഗംഭീരവും ചതുര്ഹസ്തവുമായിരുന്നു; സപ്തരക്തവർണ്ണം, ഷഡുന്നതം, പഞ്ചദീർഘം, പഞ്ചസൂക്ഷ്മം—അതിസുന്ദരം।

Word by Word

• त्रि-गंभीरम्: threefold-deep
• त्रि-गंभीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गंभीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (threefold-deep)

• चतुर्-हस्तम्: four-handed
• चतुर्-हस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (having four hands)

• सप्त-रक्तम्: seven-red / marked with seven reds
• सप्त-रक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (sevenfold-red / with seven red marks)

• महीपते: O king (lord of the earth)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahīyāḥ patiḥ)

• षट्-उन्नतम्: six-raised
• षट्-उन्नतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (six-raised/protuberant)

• पञ्च-दीर्घम्: five-long
• पञ्च-दीर्घम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (five-long)

• पञ्च-सूक्ष्मम्: five-subtle
• पञ्च-सूक्ष्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः (five-subtle/fine)

• सु-सुन्दरम्: very beautiful
• सु-सुन्दरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (su + sundara = very beautiful)

Speaker

Narrator (addressing mahīpati)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: māhīpati (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A breathtaking divine figure described through numerical iconographic features: threefold depth, four arms, reddish radiance, multiple prominences, lengths, and subtle refinements—exceedingly beautiful.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa frames divine bodies as embodiments of auspicious order; beauty and signs indicate sacred purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is descriptive (iconographic/physiognomic), not a tīrtha-māhātmya statement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.