Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

ते च सर्वे महीकूले ह्यभ्यषिंचन्मुदा गुहम् । ततो महास्वनामुग्रां देवदैत्यादिदर्पहाम्

Transliteration

te ca sarve mahīkūle hyabhyaṣiṃcanmudā guham | tato mahāsvanāmugrāṃ devadaityādidarpahām

Translation

众人皆在大地之岸，欢喜为古诃行灌顶涂香。随即腾起一声宏大而可怖的咆哮——足以摧折天神、阿修罗等众类的傲慢。

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महीकूले: on the earth’s shore/bank
• महीकूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महेः कूलम् = ‘shore/bank of the earth/land’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• अभ्यषिञ्चन्: anointed
• अभ्यषिञ्चन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अभि; धातु: सिच् (to sprinkle/anoint)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भाववाचक

• गुहम्: Guha (Kārttikeya)
• गुहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/thereupon’)

• महास्वनाम्: great-sounding
• महास्वनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती स्वना यस्याः/या = ‘great-sounding’)

• उग्राम्: fierce
• उग्राम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवदैत्यादिदर्पहाम्: destroyer of the pride of gods and demons, etc.
• देवदैत्यादिदर्पहाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → ह (कृदन्त, क्विप्/हन्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘देव-दैत्य-आदि- (सम्बन्ध) दर्पं हन्ति’ = ‘destroyer of the pride of gods, demons, etc.’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: mahīkūla (shore-bank consecration spot)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a broad riverbank/shore, devas and beings pour consecration waters over Guha; immediately the sky trembles with a colossal roar that silences and humbles devas, daityas, and all proud hosts.

Characters & Entities

• Guha (Skanda/Kumāra)
• Devas
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecration (abhiṣeka) is not mere ceremony: it manifests divine authority that humbles ego and restores dharmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A shoreline setting is mentioned (“mahīkūla”), but no named tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka (ritual anointing/consecration) of Guha is described.