Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

वदनैकमहाद्वारे षड्गवाक्षवितभूषिते । ओष्ठद्वयकाटे च तथा दंतार्गलान्विते

Transliteration

vadanaikamahādvāre ṣaḍgavākṣavitabhūṣite | oṣṭhadvayakāṭe ca tathā daṃtārgalānvite

Translation

منہ اس کا ایک ہی بڑا دروازہ ہے، چھ ‘کھڑکیوں’ سے آراستہ؛ دو ہونٹ دروازے کے پٹ ہیں، اور دانت کنڈیوں کی طرح لگے ہوئے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• vadana-eka-mahā-dvāre: in the single great door (the mouth)
• vadana-eka-mahā-dvāre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय समास (determinative: “one great door of the mouth”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन

• ṣaṭ-gavākṣa-vita-bhūṣite: adorned with six windows/vents
• ṣaṭ-gavākṣa-vita-bhūṣite: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या) + gavākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vita (प्रातिपदिक) + √bhūṣ (धातु) → bhūṣita (कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-कृदन्त (bhūṣita = “adorned”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (dvāre/gṛhe implied)

• oṣṭha-dvaya-kāṭe: in the bolt/bar of the pair of lips
• oṣṭha-dvaya-kāṭe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: “thus/likewise”)

• danta-argala-anvite: provided with tooth-bolts (teeth as bars)
• danta-argala-anvite: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: danta (प्रातिपदिक) + argalā (प्रातिपदिक) + √i (धातु) → anvita (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-कृदन्त (anvita = “endowed with”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A human figure stylized as a small house-fort: mouth as arched doorway, six windows glowing, lips as doors, teeth as a visible bolt; a yogin stands guard at the gate with japa-mālā.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames the body as a constructed ‘house’ with openings, reducing identification with it and encouraging detachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is part of a philosophical depiction of the body.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse supports contemplative insight rather than external ritual.