Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 129

Devanagari script

रुधिरौघह्रदावर्ता गजदेहशिलोच्चया । कबंधनृत्यबहुला महा सुरप्रवाहिनी

Transliteration

rudhiraughahradāvartā gajadehaśiloccayā | kabaṃdhanṛtyabahulā mahā surapravāhinī

Translation

A great river of warriors surged forth—its pools and whirlpools made of torrents of blood, its rocky mounds the bodies of elephants, and its expanse crowded with headless trunks dancing in frenzy.

Word by Word

• रुधिरौघह्रदावर्ता: having pools and whirlpools of torrents of blood
• रुधिरौघह्रदावर्ता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिर + ओघ + ह्रद + आवर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘रुधिरौघः ह्रदः आवर्तः यस्याः/यत्र’ इति बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; Nominative singular feminine

• गजदेहशिलोच्चया: heaped with rock-like elephant bodies
• गजदेहशिलोच्चया: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज + देह + शिला + उच्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गजदेह-शिलासमूहयुक्ता’ इति; Nominative singular feminine

• कबन्धनृत्यबहुला: abounding in the dancing of headless trunks
• कबन्धनृत्यबहुला: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कबन्ध + नृत्य + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कबन्धानां नृत्येन बहुला’ इति; Nominative singular feminine

• महा: great
• महा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; irregular stem महत् → महा; Nominative singular feminine

• सुरप्रवाहिनी: a stream/river of warriors (lit. gods)
• सुरप्रवाहिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + प्रवाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सुराणां प्रवाहः’ इति; Nominative singular feminine

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A surreal river surging across the battlefield: eddies and pools made of blood-torrents; ‘rocks’ are piled elephant bodies; countless headless trunks (kabandhas) appear to dance amid the current.

Characters & Entities

• Kabaṃdha (headless trunks)
• Gaja (elephants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The horrific ‘river of blood’ metaphor warns that adharma-driven conflict floods the world with suffering and disorder.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred geography is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.