Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

जटास्त्रिषवणस्नानकपिलाः शिरसा तदा । धारयन्तं लोमशाख्यमाज्यसिक्तमिवानलम्

Transliteration

jaṭāstriṣavaṇasnānakapilāḥ śirasā tadā | dhārayantaṃ lomaśākhyamājyasiktamivānalam

Translation

तदा ते लोमशाख्यं ददृशुः—त्रिषवणस्नानात् कपिलाः जटाः शिरसा धारयन्तं, आज्यसिक्तमिवानलं दीप्तिमन्तम्।

Word by Word

• जटाः: matted locks
• जटाः: Karta (Subject-part)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• त्रिषवणस्नानकपिलाः: tawny due to bathing at the three daily rites
• त्रिषवणस्नानकपिलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-सवन-स्नान-कपिल (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + सवन + स्नान + कपिल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier of implied ‘they/appearance’)

• शिरसा: with the head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/with the head)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• धारयन्तम्: bearing/holding
• धारयन्तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोमशाख्यम्: (the sage) named Lomasha
• लोमशाख्यम्: Karma (Apposition to object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘named’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘लोमश’ इति आख्यः (named Lomasha)

• आज्यसिक्तम्: sprinkled with ghee
• आज्यसिक्तम्: Upamana-dharma (Qualifier in simile)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आज्य-सिक्त (प्रातिपदिक; आज्य + सिक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (simile marker)

• अनलम्: fire
• अनलम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (continuing Nārada’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kalāpa-grāma (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lomāśa appears with jaṭā tawny from repeated bathing, his presence blazing like ghee-fed fire—an ascetic ‘flame’ in human form.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Triṣavaṇa-snāna
• Jaṭā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady daily discipline and austerity are portrayed as spiritual ‘fire,’ intensifying purity and power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse focuses on the sage’s ascetic characteristics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Triṣavaṇa-snāna (bathing three times daily) is referenced as an ascetic observance.