Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

उत्सृज्य सहसा पार्थ ऐरावणशिरःस्थितः । स तु पादप्रहारेण मुष्टिना चैव तं गजम्

Transliteration

utsṛjya sahasā pārtha airāvaṇaśiraḥsthitaḥ | sa tu pādaprahāreṇa muṣṭinā caiva taṃ gajam

Translation

Da sprang der Krieger plötzlich hervor—auf Airāvatas Haupt stehend—und schlug jenen Elefanten mit einem Fußtritt und auch mit der Faust.

Word by Word

• उत्सृज्य: having let go/abandoned
• उत्सृज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + √सृज् (सृज् धातु) (ल्यप्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having released/abandoned'

• सहसा: suddenly/with force
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'suddenly/forcibly')

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ऐरावणशिरःस्थितः: standing on Airāvata's head
• ऐरावणशिरःस्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐरावण + शिरस् + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); क्तान्त-विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• पादप्रहारेण: by a kick/with a foot-strike
• पादप्रहारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुष्टिना: with a fist
• मुष्टिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• 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 (emphatic particle)

• तम्: that (him/it)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गजम्: elephant
• गजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A warrior springs onto Airāvata’s head and strikes the great elephant with a forceful kick and clenched fist; the moment is frozen mid-air, emphasizing daring and strength, with Airāvata’s white form dominating the frame.

Characters & Entities

• Airāvata
• Unnamed warrior (contextually Kālanemi)
• Śakra’s elephant

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse dramatizes the turbulence of cosmic conflict, reminding that worldly power (even divine mounts) can be shaken when adharma rises.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.