Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

चक्रुः कुमारं सेनान्यं जाह्नव्यां स्वगणैः सुराः । सस्वनुर्देववाद्यानि पुष्पवर्षं पपात ह

Transliteration

cakruḥ kumāraṃ senānyaṃ jāhnavyāṃ svagaṇaiḥ surāḥ | sasvanurdevavādyāni puṣpavarṣaṃ papāta ha

Translation

Auf der Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā) setzten die Götter, samt ihren Gefolgen, Kumāra zum Heerführer der Scharen ein. Da erklangen die göttlichen Instrumente, und ein Blumenregen fiel herab.

Word by Word

• cakruḥ: they made/appointed
• cakruḥ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• kumāram: Kumāra (the youth)
• kumāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• senānyam: commander of the army
• senānyam: Karma (Object complement/कर्मपूरक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय-भावे पदवीवाचकः (as a title)

• jāhnavyām: in/at the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• jāhnavyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāhnavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), सप्तमी (locative), एकवचनम्

• svagaṇaiḥ: with their own retinues
• svagaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य गणाः)

• surāḥ: the gods
• surāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचनम्

• sasvanuḥ: they sounded/resounded
• sasvanuḥ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: svaṇ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्

• devavādyāni: divine instruments
• devavādyāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + vādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां वाद्यानि)

• puṣpavarṣam: a shower of flowers
• puṣpavarṣam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुष्पाणां वर्षः)

• papāta: fell
• papāta: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), कथन-प्रत्ययार्थकः (emphatic/indeed)

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgara-khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Gaṅgā’s surface/near its bank, devas with their retinues ceremonially appoint Kumāra as commander; celestial drums and conches sound; flowers cascade from the sky over the river.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected when divine leadership is established in a sacred place; honor offered to the righteous commander signifies cosmic approval.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jāhnavī—i.e., the Gaṅgā—is explicitly the sacred setting for Kumāra’s appointment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal prescription; the verse depicts auspicious celebration (vādyas, puṣpavarṣa) akin to ceremonial honoring.