Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

बाणो भृंगिस्तथा नंदी शैलादो हि महातपाः । महाकालो महाचंडो महामुंडो महाशिराः

Transliteration

bāṇo bhṛṃgistathā naṃdī śailādo hi mahātapāḥ | mahākālo mahācaṃḍo mahāmuṃḍo mahāśirāḥ

Translation

其间有婆那、婆陵耆与难提，又有大苦行者尸罗陀；并有摩诃迦罗、摩诃旃陀、摩诃蒙陀与摩诃尸罗等。

Word by Word

• बाणः: Bāṇa
• बाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• भृङ्गिः: Bhṛṅgi
• भृङ्गिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्गि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya/Prakāra (Also/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/also’)

• नन्दी: Nandī
• नन्दी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन्/नन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शैलादः: Śailāda
• शैलादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• महातपाः: great ascetics
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies the listed gaṇas): ‘महान् तपः यस्य’/‘महातपस्’

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महाचण्डः: Mahācaṇḍa
• महाचण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महामुण्डः: Mahāmuṇḍa
• महामुण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महाशिराः: Mahāśirāḥ
• महाशिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिरस्-शब्द, प्रथमा एकवचन रूप ‘शिराः’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A roll-call of formidable attendants around Śiva: Nandī serene and bull-like; Bhṛṅgi austere; Bāṇa heroic; Mahākāla and fierce gaṇas with skull garlands and weapons; the assembly feels both protective and terrifying.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇa
• Bhṛṅgi
• Nandī
• Śailāda
• Mahākāla
• Mahācaṇḍa
• Mahāmuṇḍa
• Mahāśiras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s presence is accompanied by disciplined and powerful attendants—symbolizing that devotion is supported by strength, tapas, and vigilance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region is the textual setting; this verse is primarily an enumeration of Śiva’s attendants.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.