Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

स तद्भीमं महारौद्रं दक्षिणं वक्त्रमव्ययम् । महादंष्ट्रोत्कटारावं पातालतलसंनिभम्

Transliteration

sa tadbhīmaṃ mahāraudraṃ dakṣiṇaṃ vaktramavyayam | mahādaṃṣṭrotkaṭārāvaṃ pātālatalasaṃnibham

Translation

پھر اُس ربّ نے اپنا جنوبی چہرہ ظاہر کیا—نہایت ہیبت ناک، انتہائی قہر آلود، اور ابدی؛ بڑے بڑے دانتوں کے ساتھ ہولناک دھاڑ مارتا، پاتال کی تہوں کے مانند۔

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tadbhīmam: that terrible (one)
• tadbhīmam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + bhīma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (tat eva bhīmam)

• mahāraudram: very fierce
• mahāraudram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dakṣiṇam: right (southern)
• dakṣiṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vaktram: face / mouth
• vaktram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mahādaṃṣṭra: having huge fangs
• mahādaṃṣṭra: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + daṃṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-निर्देश)

• utkaṭārāvam: with a dreadful roar
• utkaṭārāvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utkaṭa + ārāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pātāla-tala-saṃnibham: resembling the floor of Pātāla
• pātāla-tala-saṃnibham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātāla + tala + saṃnibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (pātālasya talaṃ iva saṃnibham)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal southern face of the Lord emerges—dark as the netherworld, roaring, with fearsome fangs—filling the horizon like a living abyss.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The same deity who grants peace also embodies awe-inspiring power that subdues cosmic disorder.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified; the verse is a theological description of Śiva’s form.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive (dhyāna-worthy imagery).