Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

प्रोत्फुल्लामलनीलाब्जं शरदीवामलं सरः । भस्मशुभ्रतनुच्छायै रुद्र र्हंसैरिवावृतम्

Transliteration

protphullāmalanīlābjaṃ śaradīvāmalaṃ saraḥ | bhasmaśubhratanucchāyai rudra rhaṃsairivāvṛtam

Translation

Nagmistula siyang malinaw na lawa sa taglagas, na pinamumukadkad ng dalisay na bughaw na lotus—na wari’y nababalutan ng mga sisne ni Rudra, na ang katawan ay kumikislap na puti gaya ng banal na abo.

Word by Word

• protphulla-amala-nīla-abjam: (having) fully-bloomed, pure blue lotuses
• protphulla-amala-nīla-abjam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: protphulla (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + amala (प्रातिपदिक) + nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + abja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (abjaṃ yat protphullaṃ amalaṃ nīlaṃ ca)

• śaradi: in autumn
• śaradi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time-location/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Upamā-bodhaka (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• amalam: spotless, clear
• amalam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• saraḥ: the lake
• saraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• bhasma-śubhra-tanu-cchāyaiḥ: by pale, ash-white slender shades
• bhasma-śubhra-tanu-cchāyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + śubhra (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक) + chāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (chāyāḥ yāḥ bhasma-śubhrāḥ tanvyaḥ)

• rudra-haṃsaiḥ: by Rudra’s swans
• rudra-haṃsaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (rudrasya haṃsāḥ / rudra-sambandhinaḥ haṃsāḥ)

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-bodhaka (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमा-वाचक

• āvṛtam: covered, surrounded
• āvṛtam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa / Predicative (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√vṛ (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (covered)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A startlingly beautiful comparison: the bloodied, ash-bright scene is likened to an autumn lake with blooming blue lotuses, over which white swans glide—here ‘Rudra-swans’ whose bodies shine like sacred ash.

Characters & Entities

• Rudras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Rudras are portrayed as purifying forces—like autumn clarity and ash-white radiance—signifying cleansing of impurity and fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse uses nature imagery to magnify the Śaiva presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly, though bhasma imagery aligns with Śaiva devotional practice.