Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अश्वमारुह्य शैलाभं हरिमाद्रवत् । पंचयोजनप्रग्रीवमुष्ट्रमास्थाय जंभकः

Transliteration

aśvamāruhya śailābhaṃ harimādravat | paṃcayojanapragrīvamuṣṭramāsthāya jaṃbhakaḥ

Translation

পৰ্বতসম অশ্বত আৰোহণ কৰি (এজন) হৰিৰ ফালে ধাৱিল; আৰু জম্ভক পাঁচ যোজন দীঘল গ্ৰীৱাযুক্ত উষ্ট্ৰত আসীন হৈ (সেও) আগবাঢ়িল।

Word by Word

• अश्वम्: a horse
• अश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund); पूर्वकालः (having mounted)

• शैलाभम्: mountain-like
• शैलाभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैल + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (accusative singular masculine)

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)

• आद्रवत्: ran/charged
• आद्रवत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (he ran/charged)

• पंचयोजनप्रग्रीवम्: having a fore-neck of five yojanas
• पंचयोजनप्रग्रीवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + योजन + प्रग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (accusative singular neuter)

• उष्ट्रम्: a camel
• उष्ट्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)

• आस्थाय: having mounted
• आस्थाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund); पूर्वकालः (having mounted/ascended)

• जंभकः: Jambhaka (name)
• जंभकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंभक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular masculine)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing context from 20.1)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two attackers surge toward Hari: one on a mountain-like horse; Jaṃbhaka on a camel with an impossibly long neck stretching across the battlefield, creating a surreal, towering silhouette.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Jaṃbhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text depicts the intimidation tactics of adharma, while implicitly affirming that divine steadiness is not shaken by outward threats.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is a battle description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.