Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

केचिद्भयानका रौद्राः कबंधाश्च तथा परे । विलोचनाश्च केचिच्च वक्षोहीनास्तथा परे

Transliteration

kecidbhayānakā raudrāḥ kabaṃdhāśca tathā pare | vilocanāśca kecicca vakṣohīnāstathā pare

Translation

บางตนดุร้ายน่าสะพรึงกลัว; บางตนเป็นเพียงลำตัวไร้ศีรษะ. บางตนมีดวงตาพิกล, และบางตนก็ไร้อกไร้ทรวง.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (persons)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः

• भयानकाः: terrifying
• भयानकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); विशेषणम्

• रौद्राः: fierce
• रौद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); विशेषणम्

• कबन्धाः: headless trunks
• कबन्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (adverb: likewise/also)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); ‘अन्ये’ इत्यर्थे

• विलोचनाः: with strange/large eyes
• विलोचनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); विशेषणम्

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

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः

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

• वक्षःहीनाः: without chests
• वक्षःहीनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वक्षसः हीनाः = chestless); विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (adverb)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cavernous Himalayan sacred court: hundreds of Rudra-gaṇas in uncanny forms—some headless trunks, some fierce, some with strange eyes, some chestless—standing as a protective ring around the unseen sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine can appear awe-inspiring; fearsome forms protect dharma and humble ego, turning fear into reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra setting frames the account; this verse emphasizes Śiva’s protective entourage rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.