Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

अघोरवक्त्रं त्रितयं प्रपद्ये अथर्वजुष्टं तव रूपकाणि । अघोरघोराणि च घोरघोराण्यहं सदानौमि भूतानि तुभ्यम्

Transliteration

aghoravaktraṃ tritayaṃ prapadye atharvajuṣṭaṃ tava rūpakāṇi | aghoraghorāṇi ca ghoraghorāṇyahaṃ sadānaumi bhūtāni tubhyam

Translation

నీ మూడవ ముఖమైన ‘అఘోర’మునకు నేను శరణు పొందుచున్నాను; అథర్వ పరంపరలో ప్రీతిపాత్రమైన నీ రూపములు ఇవే. అవి సౌమ్యమైనా భయంకరమైనా, నీ అధీనమై సంచరించు సమస్త భూతప్రాణులకు నేను నిత్యం నమస్కరిస్తాను.

Word by Word

• aghoravaktram: the Aghora-face/aspect
• aghoravaktram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-ghora (अघोर-प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (वक्त्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन

• tritayam: the triad
• tritayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tritaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; ‘समूहवाचक’ (a triad)

• prapadye: I take refuge
• prapadye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pad (धातु) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• atharvajuṣṭam: favoured by Atharva (Veda)
• atharvajuṣṭam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atharva (अथर्व-प्रातिपदिक) + juṣṭa (जुष्ट-प्रातिपदिक; √juṣ कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• rūpakāṇi: forms/aspects
• rūpakāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन

• aghoraghorāṇi: non-terrible and terrible
• aghoraghorāṇi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-ghora (अघोर) + ghora (घोर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (for rūpakāṇi/bhūtāni)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ghoraghorāṇi: terrible and non-terrible
• ghoraghorāṇi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (घोर) + a-ghora (अघोर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st case/कर्ता), एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• naumi: I bow to / adore
• naumi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhūtāni: beings/elements
• bhūtāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), बहुवचन

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

Speaker

A dvija devotee (as implied by the immediate narrative context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s Aghora face appears luminous yet formidable; around him are bhūta-gaṇas—yakṣas, piśācas, pramathas—rendered not as mere horrors but as disciplined attendants; the devotee bows without fear.

Characters & Entities

• Aghora
• Atharva Veda
• Bhūtas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva encompasses both the benign and the fearsome; reverence to Him includes honoring the cosmic hosts (bhūtas) under His command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tirtha is named; the focus is on Śiva’s Aghora aspect and His attendants.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perpetual reverence (sadā naumi) and refuge-taking (prapadye) are emphasized, reflecting devotional discipline.