Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

वृषध्वजाय सोमाय नीलकण्ठाय वै नमः । दिगंबराय भर्गाय उमाकांतकपर्द्दिने

Transliteration

vṛṣadhvajāya somāya nīlakaṇṭhāya vai namaḥ | digaṃbarāya bhargāya umākāṃtakaparddine

Translation

Sembah sujud kepada Dia yang panjinya Lembu; kepada Soma; kepada Nīlakaṇṭha. Sembah sujud kepada Digambara, kepada Bharga, dan kepada Kapardin, Tuhan kekasih Umā.

Word by Word

• वृषध्वजाय: to him whose banner is the bull
• वृषध्वजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सोमाय: to Soma
• सोमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नीलकण्ठाय: to Nīlakaṇṭha
• नीलकण्ठाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (अव्यय) — emphatic particle

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojaka (Salutation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (अव्यय) — particle of salutation; governs dative

• दिगंबराय: to Digambara (sky-clad)
• दिगंबराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• भर्गाय: to Bharga
• भर्गाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

• उमाकान्तकपर्द्दिने: to the matted-haired beloved of Umā
• उमाकान्तकपर्द्दिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कपर्द्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotee-audience/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The chant invokes Śiva with bull-banner and crescent moon, then as Digambara and Bharga, finally as Umākānta; the devotee’s mind visualizes Śiva’s bull, moon, ash-smeared body, and tender presence with Umā.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja
• Soma
• Nīlakaṇṭha
• Digambara
• Bharga
• Umā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is praised as both austere ascetic (Digambara) and loving consort (Umākānta), showing the harmony of renunciation and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra in the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s worship instructions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of Śiva’s names as a regulated hymn within worship.