Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

बालेंदु शेखरां स्निग्धां नीलकुंचितकुन्तलाम् । भृंगसंघातरुचिरां नीलालकविराजिताम्

Transliteration

bāleṃdu śekharāṃ snigdhāṃ nīlakuṃcitakuntalām | bhṛṃgasaṃghātarucirāṃ nīlālakavirājitām

Translation

Contemple-a, que traz a lua crescente como ornamento no alto; lustrosa, de cabelos escuros e encaracolados, belos como um enxame de abelhas, e resplandecente com madeixas de azul profundo.

Word by Word

• बाल: young, tender
• बाल: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• इन्दु: moon
• इन्दु: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: indu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• शेखराम्: with the young moon as a crest
• शेखराम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śekharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: बाल-इन्दु-शेखरा (तत्पुरुष: having the young moon as crest)

• स्निग्धाम्: smooth, glossy
• स्निग्धाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नील: dark/blue
• नील: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• कुञ्चित: curled
• कुञ्चित: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kuñc (धातु) + ita (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• कुन्तलाम्: (having) dark curled tresses
• कुन्तलाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuntalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: नील-कुञ्चित-कुन्तला (तत्पुरुष: with dark curled hair)

• भृङ्ग: bee
• भृङ्ग: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• संघात: cluster/mass
• संघात: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• रुचिराम्: charming like a cluster of bees
• रुचिराम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rucira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: भृङ्ग-संघात-रुचिरा (तत्पुरुष: lovely like a swarm of bees)

• नील: dark/blue
• नील: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• अलक: lock of hair
• अलक: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: alaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — समासाङ्ग

• विराजिताम्: adorned with dark locks
• विराजिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√rāj (धातु) + ita (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: नील-अलक-विराजिता (तत्पुरुष: adorned with dark locks)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator in Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī with crescent moon as crest ornament; glossy complexion; dark, curled hair; the hair’s charm likened to a swarm of bees; deep-blue tresses framing her face with gentle radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Pārvatī/Umā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional contemplation refines perception—seeing the Goddess as serene splendor that draws the mind away from distraction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified in this verse; it continues the dhyāna of the Goddess.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A focused dhyāna on Devī’s identifying features—crescent-moon crest and dark, curling, bee-like tresses.