Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

दृढेन मुष्टिबन्धेन शूलं विषृभ्य निर्मलः । जघान कुम्भदेशे तु कपाली गजदानवम्

Transliteration

dṛḍhena muṣṭibandhena śūlaṃ viṣṛbhya nirmalaḥ | jaghāna kumbhadeśe tu kapālī gajadānavam

Translation

ନିର୍ମଳ କପାଳୀ ଦୃଢ଼ ମୁଷ୍ଟିରେ ତ୍ରିଶୂଳ ଧାରଣ କରି ନିକ୍ଷେପ କଲେ ଏବଂ ସେହି ଗଜ-ଦାନବର ମସ୍ତକର କୁମ୍ଭଦେଶରେ ଆଘାତ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• दृढेन: with firm
• दृढेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मुष्टिबन्धेन-विशेषण)

• मुष्टिबन्धेन: with a clenched fist/grip
• मुष्टिबन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टिबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) = मुष्टि + बन्ध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शूलम्: the trident/spear
• शूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विषृभ्य: having hurled/brandished
• विषृभ्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृभ्/सृप् (धातु; ‘to hurl/throw’—contextual)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having hurled/brandished’

• निर्मलः: pure/spotless
• निर्मलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (कपाली-विशेषण)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कुम्भदेशे: at the temple/forehead region
• कुम्भदेशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भदेश (प्रातिपदिक) = कुम्भ + देश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/अन्वय (contrast/emphasis)

• कपाली: Kapālī (Śiva)
• कपाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गजदानवम्: the elephant-like demon
• गजदानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजदानव (प्रातिपदिक) = गज + दानव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dynamic action: Kapālī hurls the trident with a clenched fist; the trident arcs and lands on the elephant-demon’s temple, impact emphasized with radiating lines and dust burst.

Characters & Entities

• Kapālī
• Gajāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s pure resolve (nirmalatā) and divine power protect dharma by subduing demonic pride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions within a Śaiva heroic narrative in the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.