Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55
Devanagari script
पवनोंऽकुशपाणिस्तु विस्तारितमहाजवः । महाऋक्षं समारूढं सेनाग्रे समदृश्यत
Transliteration
pavanoṃ'kuśapāṇistu vistāritamahājavaḥ | mahāṛkṣaṃ samārūḍhaṃ senāgre samadṛśyata
Translation
وبَفَنَة (فايو) كان بيده المِهْمَاز، يُظهر سرعةً عظيمةً ممتدّة؛ وقد شوهد في مقدّمة الجيش راكبًا دبًّا عظيمًا.
Word by Word
pavanaḥVāyu (Wind-god)
pavanaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpavana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
aṅkuśapāṇiḥgoad-in-hand
aṅkuśapāṇiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootaṅkuśa + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘अङ्कुशः पाणौ यस्य’ (having a goad in hand)
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे
vistāritamahājavaḥwith fully displayed great speed
vistāritamahājavaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvistārita + mahā + java (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘विस्तारितः महाजवः’ (great speed expanded/fully displayed)
mahāṛkṣama great bear
mahāṛkṣam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā + ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘महान् ऋक्षः’ (great bear)
samārūḍhammounted
samārūḍham:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/participial)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-ā-√ruh (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘mounted’ (agreeing with pavanaḥ understood: ‘mounted on...’)
senāgreat the army-front
senāgre:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootsenā + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सेनायाः अग्रे
samadṛśyatawas seen/appeared
samadṛśyata:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-√dṛś (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘was seen/appeared’
Speaker
Deductive (contextual): narrator voice (often Sūta) describing Vāyu’s battle array
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Vāyu, swift and expansive, holds a goad as if steering invisible currents; he rides a great bear, surging at the army’s front like a living storm.
Characters & Entities
P
Pavana (Vāyu)A
Aṅkuśa (goad)G
Great bear (mahāṛkṣa)FAQs
Divine forces embody disciplined power—speed and strength directed toward the protection of cosmic order.
No tīrtha is referenced; the verse continues the martial description of the devas.
None.