Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

अनेकाभिः पताकाभिश्चैलपल्लवतोरणैः । तथा विमानैर्बहुभिर्बभौ प्रज्वलितो महान् । पर्वतः पुत्रजननाच्छंकरस्य महात्मनः

Transliteration

anekābhiḥ patākābhiścailapallavatoraṇaiḥ | tathā vimānairbahubhirbabhau prajvalito mahān | parvataḥ putrajananācchaṃkarasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

تزيَّن الجبل العظيم براياتٍ كثيرة، وبأقواسٍ من الأقمشة والأوراق، وبمركباتٍ سماويةٍ عديدة (فيمانا)، فتلألأ كأنه مشتعلٌ بالنار—احتفاءً بميلاد ابن شانكرا العظيم النفس (ماهاتما).

Word by Word

• anekābhiḥ: with many
• anekābhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; qualifies patākābhiḥ

• patākābhiḥ: with banners
• patākābhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patākā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• cailapallavatoraṇaiḥ: with cloths, leafy sprigs, and festoons
• cailapallavatoraṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caila + pallava + toraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (चैलानि च पल्लवाः च तोरणानि च) ‘with cloths, sprouts, and festoons/arches’

• tathā: also
• tathā: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise/also)

• vimānaiḥ: with aerial cars
• vimānaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• bahubhiḥ: many
• bahubhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; qualifies vimānaiḥ

• babhau: shone/appeared splendid
• babhau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• prajvalitaḥ: blazing
• prajvalitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + jval (धातु) → prajvalita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective of parvataḥ

• mahān: great
• mahān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; qualifies parvataḥ

• parvataḥ: the mountain
• parvataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• putrajananāt: because of the birth of a son
• putrajananāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra + janana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य जननम्) ablative of cause

• śaṃkarasya: of Śaṅkara
• śaṃkarasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled one
• mahātmanaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य) used as epithet of śaṃkara

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-parvata / Himālaya sacred mountain (contextual)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-audience (unspecified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan mountain blazes with festive adornments—banners fluttering, cloth-and-leaf toranas draped, many vimānas hovering—celebrating the birth of Śaṅkara’s son.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Mountain (parvata)
• Vimānas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic vision even the landscape participates in dharma—nature itself becomes celebratory at divine manifestation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the sacred mountain within the Kedāra/ Gaṅgā-side narrative milieu, emphasizing sanctified geography (sthāna-mahātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; ceremonial decoration and festive gathering are described.