Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

एतं नंदिनमारुह्य नानाविधगणान्विता । गणाः षष्टिसहस्राणि जग्मूरौद्राः शिवज्ञया

Transliteration

etaṃ naṃdinamāruhya nānāvidhagaṇānvitā | gaṇāḥ ṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi jagmūraudrāḥ śivajñayā

Translation

Auf Nandin reitend und von mannigfachen Scharen der gaṇas begleitet, brachen sechzigtausend wilde, Rudra-gleiche Gefolgsleute auf Śivas Geheiß auf.

Word by Word

• एतम्: this
• एतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नन्दिनम्: Nandin
• नन्दिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• नानाविध: of various kinds
• नानाविध: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया? (समासाङ्ग) / प्रातिपदिकरूपेण; कर्मधारय (नाना विधाः)

• गण: with groups/attendants
• गण: Sahacara (Accompaniment/सहचर)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural) (समासाङ्ग)

• अन्विता: accompanied
• अन्विता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गणाः: the attendants (gaṇas)
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• षष्टि: sixty
• षष्टि: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, (समासाङ्ग)

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karta (Count/apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (संख्यापूरक)

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• रौद्राः: fierce/terrible
• रौद्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शिवज्ञया: by Śiva's command
• शिवज्ञया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य आज्ञया)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (sectional frame) / Dakṣa-yajña (narrative locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Devī mounts Nandin; around her surge countless gaṇas of varied forms—fierce, Rudra-like, armed and exuberant—departing in a thunderous divine procession by Śiva’s command.

Characters & Entities

• Nandin
• Gaṇas
• Śiva
• Satī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine is never truly alone; spiritual authority is accompanied by protective cosmic forces aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse narrates the journey toward Dakṣa’s sacrificial venue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.