Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

सशिरस्कंप्रदातव्यमिति ब्रह्मा पुराब्रवीत् । महोग्राणां च दातव्यमशिरस्कमपि स्फुटम्

Transliteration

saśiraskaṃpradātavyamiti brahmā purābravīt | mahogrāṇāṃ ca dātavyamaśiraskamapi sphuṭam

Translation

“Hendaklah diberikan bersama kepala (yakni lengkap),” demikian Brahmā dahulu kala menyatakan. Namun bagi para dewa yang sangat garang (mahogra), hendaklah diberikan walaupun tanpa kepala—ini dinyatakan dengan jelas.

Word by Word

• sa-śiraskam: with the head (attached)
• sa-śiraskam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/स प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (शिरस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सहितं शिरसा)

• pradātavyam: should be given
• pradātavyam: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-dā (दा धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive: 'to be given')

• iti: thus
• iti: Vakya-sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• purā: formerly, once
• purā: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• mahā-ugrāṇām: of the very fierce ones
• mahā-ugrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान्तः उग्राः)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• dātavyam: should be given
• dātavyam: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (दा धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• a-śiraskam: headless, without the head
• a-śiraskam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (नञ्) + śiras (शिरस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नञ्-समासः: अशिरस्क = शिरो-रहित)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि (also/even)

• sphuṭam: clearly, explicitly
• sphuṭam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sphuṭa (स्फुट प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण), स्पष्टार्थे (clearly)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā (or an authoritative sage citing Brahmā) declares a rule about offerings: a complete offering for ordinary contexts, and a distinct, austere offering for fierce deities; visual contrast between saumya altar and ugra shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offerings must match the deity and the rite: dharma is precise, and correct form safeguards both devotee and ritual purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse concerns normative ritual distinctions for different classes of deities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rule distinguishing offerings made ‘with head’ (complete) versus ‘without head’ (head excluded), especially for mahogra deities.