Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 178

Devanagari script

ध्यायमानो विरूपाक्षं त्रिशूलकरसंस्थितम् । कंसासुरनिहन्तारं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्

Transliteration

dhyāyamāno virūpākṣaṃ triśūlakarasaṃsthitam | kaṃsāsuranihantāraṃ śaṅkhacakragadādharam

Translation

ویرُوپاکش کا دھیان کرتے ہوئے—جس کے ہاتھ میں ترشول ہے؛ اور کَنس اسُر کے قاتل کا بھی، جو شنکھ، چکر اور گدا دھارن کرتا ہے…

Word by Word

• ध्यायमानः: meditating
• ध्यायमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), आत्मनेपदीय-प्रयोग; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विरूपाक्षम्: Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• विरूपाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; देवतानाम (epithet)

• त्रिशूलकरसंस्थितम्: standing/placed with a trident in hand
• त्रिशूलकरसंस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triśūla (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (कृदन्त; √sthā धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सप्तमी/तत्पुरुषार्थे समासः—त्रिशूल-कर (त्रिशूलं करः यस्य/यत्र) इत्यर्थसम्बन्धः; विशेषण (qualifying virūpākṣam)

• कंसासुरनिहन्तारम्: the slayer of the demon Kaṃsa
• कंसासुरनिहन्तारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक) + nihantṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कंसासुरस्य निहन्ता)

• शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्: the bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उपपद-समास)—शङ्खं चक्रं गदां च धरतीति

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-mandira (dhyāna-sthala within Revā-khaṇḍa vrata)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpasattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A meditating devotee visualizes two radiant forms: Śiva as Virūpākṣa holding a trident, and Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu as Kaṃsa-slayer holding conch, discus, and mace; the imagery appears as twin halos above the devotee within a temple interior.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Virūpākṣa)
• Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa (Kaṃsa-nisūdana)
• Triśūla
• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The vrata integrates devotional meditation on divine forms—honoring both Śiva and Viṣṇu through their recognizable sacred attributes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is devotional (dhyāna) rather than topographical; the larger frame remains the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhyāna (meditation) on Śiva as Virūpākṣa with triśūla, and on Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa as Kaṃsa-slayer bearing śaṅkha-cakra-gadā.