Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

जटिं वामेश्वरे विन्द्यात्सौम्यं वै कुक्कुटेश्वरे । भूतेश्वरं भस्मगात्रे ओंकारेऽमरकण्टकम्

Transliteration

jaṭiṃ vāmeśvare vindyātsaumyaṃ vai kukkuṭeśvare | bhūteśvaraṃ bhasmagātre oṃkāre'marakaṇṭakam

Translation

వామేశ్వరంలో ఆయన ‘జటీ’గా తెలిసినవాడు; కుక్కుటేశ్వరంలో ‘సౌమ్య’గా. భస్మగాత్రంలో ‘భూతేశ్వర’ుడు; ఓంకారంలో ‘అమరకంటక’గా ప్రసిద్ధుడు.

Word by Word

• जटिम्: Jaṭin (matted-haired Śiva)
• जटिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वामेश्वरे: at Vāmeśvara
• वामेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (वामः ईश्वरः) नामरूपेण

• विन्द्यात्: one should know/find
• विन्द्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: विद् (to know/find)

• सौम्यम्: Saumya (gentle one; epithet)
• सौम्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/assurance particle)

• कुक्कुटेश्वरे: at Kukkuṭeśvara
• कुक्कुटेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्कुट + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुक्कुटस्य ईश्वरः)

• भूतेश्वरम्: Bhūteśvara (Lord of beings)
• भूतेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूतानाम् ईश्वरः)

• भस्मगात्रे: at Bhasmagātra
• भस्मगात्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म + गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भस्मना गात्रम्/भस्मगात्रम्) स्थाननाम

• ओंकारे: at Oṃkāra
• ओंकारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अमरकण्टकम्: Amarakaṇṭaka (place/name)
• अमरकण्टकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अमराणां कण्टकः) नामरूपेण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vāmeśvara (Jaṭin); Kukkuṭeśvara (Saumya); Bhasmagātra (Bhūteśvara); Oṃkāra/Amarakaṇṭaka

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four emblematic Śiva aspects: Jaṭin with matted locks beside a rustic shrine; Saumya with serene face and gentle aura near a village temple; Bhūteśvara with ash-smeared body and attendant gaṇas; Oṃkāra as a liṅga shaped by the curve of the praṇava, backed by the forested Amarakaṇṭaka peak and river-source springs.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Vāmeśvara
• Kukkuṭeśvara
• Bhasmagātra
• Oṃkāra
• Amarakaṇṭaka
• Jaṭin
• Saumya
• Bhūteśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva contains opposites—ascetic severity and gentle grace—revealed through different tīrthas, guiding devotees toward balance and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vāmeśvara, Kukkuṭeśvara, Bhasmagātra, and Oṃkāra (with Amarakaṇṭaka named in connection).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the instruction is identificatory—“know him as” (vindyāt) in each place.