Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

अविज्ञातान्वयो नग्नः शूली भूतगणाधिपः । श्मशाननिलयो भस्मोद्धूलनो वृषवाहनः

Transliteration

avijñātānvayo nagnaḥ śūlī bhūtagaṇādhipaḥ | śmaśānanilayo bhasmoddhūlano vṛṣavāhanaḥ

Translation

اس کا نسب نامعلوم ہے؛ وہ برہنہ ہے؛ ترشول بردار؛ بھوتوں کے جتھوں کا سردار؛ شمشان میں رہنے والا؛ راکھ میں لتھڑا ہوا؛ اور بیل کو سواری بنانے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अविज्ञातान्वयः: of unknown lineage
• अविज्ञातान्वयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविज्ञात (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक) + अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अविज्ञातः अन्वयः यस्य)

• नग्नः: naked
• नग्नः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शूली: trident-bearer
• शूली: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्/इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessor)

• भूतगणाधिपः: lord of the hosts of spirits
• भूतगणाधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतगणानाम् अधिपः)

• श्मशाननिलयः: dwelling in the cremation-ground
• श्मशाननिलयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक) + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (श्मशाने निलयः/निलयो यस्य)

• भस्मोद्धूलनः: smeared/dusted with ash
• भस्मोद्धूलनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धूलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (भस्मना उद्धूलनः/भस्म-उद्धूलनः)

• वृषवाहनः: having a bull as his mount
• वृषवाहनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृषस्य वाहनः/वाहनं यस्य)

Speaker

Brahmacārin/Vratī (ascetic) describing Śiva to Pārvatī (discouraging tone)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śmaśāna (archetypal Rudra-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A litany of Śiva’s ‘unconventional’ attributes: naked ascetic with trident, surrounded by bhūta-gaṇas, ash-smeared, dwelling in cremation ground, riding Nandin.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Bhūtas
• Vṛṣa (bull)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine may appear socially transgressive; Śiva’s ascetic marks challenge worldly notions of status and propriety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; cremation-ground imagery evokes Śaiva sacred symbolism rather than a single site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None as a rule; ash-smeared appearance is descriptive of Śaiva ascetic symbolism.