Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55
Devanagari script
पवनोंऽकुशपाणिस्तु विस्तारितमहाजवः । महाऋक्षं समारूढं सेनाग्रे समदृश्यत
Transliteration
pavanoṃ'kuśapāṇistu vistāritamahājavaḥ | mahāṛkṣaṃ samārūḍhaṃ senāgre samadṛśyata
Translation
Pavana (Vāyu), den Treibstachel in der Hand und von gewaltiger Schnelligkeit, wurde an der Spitze des Heeres gesehen—auf einem großen Bären reitend.
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.