Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

हेमपीठत्तरासंगाश्चित्रवर्मायुधध्वजाः । गंधर्वाः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त कृत्वा विश्वावसुं मुखे

Transliteration

hemapīṭhattarāsaṃgāścitravarmāyudhadhvajāḥ | gaṃdharvāḥ pratyadṛśyanta kṛtvā viśvāvasuṃ mukhe

Translation

Gandharvas appeared, adorned with golden upper garments, bearing splendid armor, weapons, and banners—having placed Viśvāvasu at their forefront.

Word by Word

• हेमपीठोत्तरासङ्गाः: wearing upper garments with golden seats/ornamentation
• हेमपीठोत्तरासङ्गाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम-पीठ-उत्तरसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (हेमपीठे उत्तरासङ्गः येषाम्)

• चित्रवर्मायुधध्वजाः: with splendid armor, weapons, and banners
• चित्रवर्मायुधध्वजाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र-वर्म-आयुध-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वसमासभावः (having variegated armor, weapons, and banners)

• गन्धर्वाः: the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Directional modifier (दिक्/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/पूर्वपदभावः (towards/against), here as preverb with verb

• अदृश्यन्त: were seen/appeared
• अदृश्यन्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive sense)

• कृत्वा: having made/placing
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• विश्वावसुम्: Viśvāvasu (a Gandharva)
• विश्वावसुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वावसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मुखे: in front/at the forefront (lit. in the mouth/face)
• मुखे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brilliant Gandharva contingent arrives: golden upper garments, ornate armor, weapons and banners; Viśvāvasu placed at the front as leader, suggesting a disciplined, radiant troop with musical-celestial elegance.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Viśvāvasu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beauty and art (Gandharva splendor) are also consecrated to dharma when guided by rightful leadership and purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this verse is part of the battle-assembly description rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated.