Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

नानाभरणवेषास्ता नानामूर्तिधरास्तथा । नानाभाषायुधधराः परिवव्रुस्तदा गुहम्

Transliteration

nānābharaṇaveṣāstā nānāmūrtidharāstathā | nānābhāṣāyudhadharāḥ parivavrustadā guham

Translation

她们佩戴种种饰物、身着各样衣装，现出多般形相；以多种语言言说，执持多样兵器，于是从四面八方围绕古诃（斯坎达）。

Word by Word

• nānā-bharaṇa-veṣāḥ: with various ornaments and attire
• nānā-bharaṇa-veṣāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + bharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + veṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (masc. nom. pl. adjective)

• tāḥ: they (those women)
• tāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• nānā-mūrti-dharāḥ: bearing various forms
• nānā-mūrti-dharāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (masc. nom. pl. adjective)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

• nānā-bhāṣā-āyudha-dharāḥ: bearing diverse speech and weapons
• nānā-bhāṣā-āyudha-dharāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + bhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (masc. nom. pl. adjective)

• parivavruḥ: they surrounded
• parivavruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√vṛ (वृञ्/वृ धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• guham: Guha (Kārttikeya)
• guham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A swirling ring of attendants around Skanda—each with distinct ornaments, costumes, faces, weapons; speech bubbles implied as many tongues; a sense of protective encirclement.

Characters & Entities

• Guha (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When Dharma’s commander is established, divine forces unite in disciplined protection—unity in diversity becomes a sacred power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse is part of the martial-sacral narrative around Guha (Skanda).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive narrative of divine attendance and protection.