Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ओंऊर्ध्वकेशा विरू पाक्षा नित्यं ये घोररूपिणः । रक्तनेत्राश्च पिंगाक्षाः क्षेत्रपालान्नमामि तान्

Transliteration

oṃūrdhvakeśā virū pākṣā nityaṃ ye ghorarūpiṇaḥ | raktanetrāśca piṃgākṣāḥ kṣetrapālānnamāmi tān

Translation

اوم۔ میں اُن کشیترپالوں کو نمسکار کرتا ہوں جن کے بال کھڑے رہتے ہیں، جن کی نگاہیں ہیبت ناک اور انوکھی ہیں؛ جو ہمیشہ ہولناک روپ والے ہیں—سرخ آنکھوں والے اور زرد مائل آنکھوں والے۔

Word by Word

• oṃ: Oṃ
• oṃ: Mantra (Invocation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṃ (ॐ)
• Form: मन्त्र-प्रणव; अव्यय

• ūrdhvakeśāḥ: with hair standing upright
• ūrdhvakeśāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva + keśa (ऊर्ध्व + केश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (kṣetrapālāḥ); समासः—कर्मधारय (‘ऊर्ध्वाः केशाः येषाम्’/‘upright-haired’)

• virūpākṣāḥ: having strange/deformed eyes
• virūpākṣāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa + akṣa (विरूप + अक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (‘विरूपे अक्षिणी येषाम्’ = having deformed/strange eyes)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Adverbial (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (नित्यम्)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• ghorarūpiṇaḥ: of terrifying form
• ghorarūpiṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora + rūpin (घोर + रूपिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘घोरं रूपं येषाम्/घोररूपिणः’)

• raktanetrāḥ: having red eyes
• raktanetrāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta + netra (रक्त + नेत्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (‘रक्ते नेत्रे येषाम्’ = having red eyes)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• piṃgākṣāḥ: having tawny eyes
• piṃgākṣāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piṃga + akṣa (पिङ्ग + अक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (‘पिङ्गे अक्षिणी येषाम्’ = having tawny/brown eyes)

• kṣetrapālān: the guardians of the sacred place
• kṣetrapālān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetrapāla (क्षेत्रपाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य पालाः)

• namāmi: I bow to
• namāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nam (नम्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

The hymn-reciter/devotee (as instructed by Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hymn-chanting devotee faces a row of fierce Kṣetrapālas: hair bristling upward, terrifying forms, red and tawny eyes, standing guard with weapons and garlands, yet protective stance.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapālas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fierce forms of guardians symbolize protective power; reverent salutations transform fear into refuge under dharmic protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a general stuti of Kṣetrapālas, applicable to sacred places broadly rather than one named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of a stuti (praise-hymn) as part of Kṣetrapāla worship.