Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

दीर्घग्रीव महाजंघ क्रमेलक शिरोधर । रक्तबिंदो जपानेत्र विद्युज्जिह्वाग्नितापन

Transliteration

dīrghagrīva mahājaṃgha kramelaka śirodhara | raktabiṃdo japānetra vidyujjihvāgnitāpana

Translation

हे दीर्घग्रीव, महाजंघ, क्रमेलक, शिरोधर! हे रक्तबिंदु, जपानेत्र, विद्युज्जिह्वा आणि अग्नितापन!

Word by Word

• दीर्घग्रीव: O long-necked one
• दीर्घग्रीव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमास—दीर्घा ग्रीवा यस्य सः

• महाजंघ: O great-thighed one
• महाजंघ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + जंघा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमास—महती जंघा यस्य सः

• क्रमेलक: O camel-like one / camel
• क्रमेलक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रमेलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे)

• शिरोधर: O head-bearer
• शिरोधर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (धृ धातु, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—शिरः धरतीति

• रक्तबिंदो: O red-spotted one
• रक्तबिंदो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—रक्तः बिन्दुः

• जपानेत्र: O one with hibiscus-like eyes
• जपानेत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जपा (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—जपावर्णे नेत्रे यस्य सः

• विद्युज्जिह्वाग्नितापन: O lightning-tongued, fire-heating one
• विद्युज्जिह्वाग्नितापन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + तापन् (तप् धातु, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—विद्युदिव जिह्वा यस्य, अग्निवत् तापयति इति

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A daitya-lord’s court where fearsome commanders are called by name; each has a distinct monstrous physiognomy suggested by the epithet (long-necked, smoke-eyed, lightning-tongued, fire-heated).

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Vindhyavāsinī (implied later in the passage)
• Daityas (implied by the list of demon-names)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even formidable powers are ultimately addressed and directed under divine order; names and might are subordinate to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, though this verse itself functions as narrative setup rather than direct tīrtha-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is an address listing beings by name.