Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

लाघवात्क्षिप्रमुत्थाय ततोऽमरमहागजः । रणादपससर्पाथ भीषितो निमिहस्तिना

Transliteration

lāghavātkṣipramutthāya tato'maramahāgajaḥ | raṇādapasasarpātha bhīṣito nimihastinā

Translation

Dann sprang der große himmlische Elefant, von flinker Leichtigkeit getragen, rasch wieder auf; und er wich vom Schlachtfeld zurück, erschreckt vor Nimis elefantenhafter Kraft.

Word by Word

• lāghavāt: from lightness/quickness
• lāghavāt: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• utthāya: having risen up
• utthāya: Kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having risen)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (then/thereupon)

• amara-mahā-gajaḥ: the great elephant of the immortals (devas)
• amara-mahā-gajaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (amarāṇāṃ mahāgajaḥ)

• raṇāt: from the battle
• raṇāt: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• apasasarpaa: withdrew/crept away
• apasasarpaa: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-√sṛp (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (then/and then)

• bhīṣitaḥ: frightened
• bhīṣitaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhī (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• nimi-hastinā: by Nimi's elephant
• nimi-hastinā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimi (प्रातिपदिक) + hastin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nimeḥ hastī)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant celestial elephant, moments ago charging, suddenly springs back and withdraws from the battlefield, intimidated by Nimi’s elephant-like might; dust and churned earth mark the retreat.

Characters & Entities

• Nimi
• Airāvata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Courage and intensity can overturn assumed hierarchies; steadfastness influences outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.