Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अनेकजातिसंवीता नानावर्णाश्च पद्मिनः । तक्षकः कुलिकः शंखो धृतराष्ट्रो महाप्रभः

Transliteration

anekajātisaṃvītā nānāvarṇāśca padminaḥ | takṣakaḥ kulikaḥ śaṃkho dhṛtarāṣṭro mahāprabhaḥ

Translation

Von vielerlei Arten umgeben und in mannigfachen Farben erschienen jene Schlangenherrscher—Padma, Takṣaka, Kulika, Śaṅkha und der mächtige Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

Word by Word

• अनेकजातिसंवीताः: of many species; encompassed by many kinds
• अनेकजातिसंवीताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + संवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुषः (अनेकाभिः जातिभिः संवीताः = surrounded/covered by many kinds)

• नानावर्णाः: of various colors
• नानावर्णाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/पूर्वपद) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; कर्मधारयः (नानाविधाः वर्णाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय — conjunction

• पद्मिनः: Padma-serpents (a class/name)
• पद्मिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तक्षकः: Takṣaka
• तक्षकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुलिकः: Kulika
• कुलिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शंखः: Śaṅkha
• शंखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाप्रभः: greatly radiant; illustrious
• महाप्रभः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (पूर्वपद) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (महान् प्रभः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-dialogue audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ring of serpent-lords of varied colors and forms surrounds Śiva’s presence: Padma, Takṣaka, Kulika, Śaṅkha, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra, their hoods raised like a many-petaled canopy, creating a living mandala.

Characters & Entities

• Padma (Nāga)
• Takṣaka
• Kulika
• Śaṅkha (Nāga)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Nāga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Diversity of forms and beings converges in worship—Śiva draws all natures into a single axis of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the implied pilgrimage context where Śiva’s universal sovereignty is celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse catalogs attendants, supporting devotional remembrance (smaraṇa) and dhyāna.