Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

सप्त शिरःकपालानि विहितानि स्वयम्भुवा । तिस्रः कोट्योऽर्धकोटी च रोम्णामङ्गेषु भारत

Transliteration

sapta śiraḥkapālāni vihitāni svayambhuvā | tisraḥ koṭyo'rdhakoṭī ca romṇāmaṅgeṣu bhārata

Translation

พระสวะยัมภู ผู้บังเกิดด้วยตนเอง ได้ทรงกำหนดแผ่นกะโหลกศีรษะไว้เจ็ดแผ่น; และบนอวัยวะทั้งหลาย โอ้ภารตะ มีขนสามโกฏิและอีกครึ่งโกฏิ

Word by Word

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• शिरः-कपालानि: skull-bones of the head
• शिरः-कपालानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासार्थः—शिरसः कपालानि

• विहितानि: were arranged/ordained
• विहितानि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विहित (कृदन्त, वि+√धा)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (set/arranged)

• स्वयम्भुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवा: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/कर्ता-हेतु (agent in passive sense)

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• कोट्यः: crores
• कोट्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्ता/विधेय-संज्ञा

• अर्ध-कोटी: half a crore
• अर्ध-कोटी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासार्थः—कोट्याः अर्धम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रोम्णाम्: of hairs
• रोम्णाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• अङ्गेषु: in the limbs
• अङ्गेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; अधिकरण

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial voice; addressing 'Bhārata' within the discourse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Creator-ordainment allegory: Svayambhū (Brahmā) inscribes measures—seven skull plates, countless hairs—over a luminous human form, like a cosmic architect.

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames the body as a constructed creation of the cosmic order, encouraging humility and dharmic living rather than bodily pride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; the adhyāya later extols Narakeśvara Mahātīrtha on the Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly.