Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

हुंकाराः प्रणवाश्चैव इतिहासाः सहस्रशः । कोटिशश्च तथा देवा महेंद्राद्याः सवाहनाः

Transliteration

huṃkārāḥ praṇavāścaiva itihāsāḥ sahasraśaḥ | koṭiśaśca tathā devā maheṃdrādyāḥ savāhanāḥ

Translation

Unzählige Schlachtrufe des „Hūṃkāra“ erhoben sich, und zugleich erklang der heilige Pranava, der Laut „Oṃ“; dazu tausendfache Rezitationen der Itihāsas. Ebenso kamen die Götter—allen voran Mahendra (Indra)—in Myriaden, ein jeder auf seinem eigenen himmlischen Fahrzeug.

Word by Word

• हुंकाराः: huṃkāras (mystic sounds)
• हुंकाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रणवाः: praṇavas (Oṃ-syllables)
• प्रणवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/just)

• इतिहासाः: histories/itihāsas
• इतिहासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: by thousands)

• कोटिशः: by crores
• कोटिशः: Sambandha (adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटिशः (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: by crores)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• महेंद्राद्याः: (those) beginning with Mahendra (Indra)
• महेंद्राद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेंद्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महेंद्रः आदिः येषां ते = beginning with Mahendra/Indra)

• सवाहनाः: with their mounts/vehicles
• सवाहनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वाहनैः सह = with their vehicles/mounts)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A roaring celestial gathering: banners and drums, gods arriving on their vāhanas—Indra on Airāvata, others on chariots and animals—while priests and bards chant Oṃ and recite epics in countless circles; the air vibrates with huṃkāras.

Characters & Entities

• Oṃ (Praṇava)
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All divine powers and sacred sound (Oṃ) converge in support of Mahādeva, showing Śiva’s supreme leadership over the cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a cosmic muster-scene within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes sacred sound (praṇava) and devotional remembrance through epic recitation.