Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वृषं विभूषयामासुर्नानारत्नोपपत्तिभिः । शक्रो गजजिनं गृह्य स्वयमग्रे व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

vṛṣaṃ vibhūṣayāmāsurnānāratnopapattibhiḥ | śakro gajajinaṃ gṛhya svayamagre vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

They adorned the Bull with many kinds of precious jewels. Indra (Śakra), taking an elephant-hide, stood himself at the front, ready to offer it.

Word by Word

• वृषम्: the bull (Nandin)
• वृषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विभूषयामासुः: adorned
• विभूषयामासुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भूष् (धातु; causative विभूषय-)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्ष-भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययम् (indeclinable adjective; ‘various’)

• रत्न: gems
• रत्न: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समास-पूर्वपद)

• उपपत्तिभिः: with fittings/arrangements
• उपपत्तिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गजजिनम्: elephant-hide
• गजजिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-जिन (प्रातिपदिक; गज + जिन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गजस्य जिनम्)

• गृह्य: having taken
• गृह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having taken)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb; ‘himself’)

• अग्रे: in front
• अग्रे: Desha (Adverbial place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः/क्रियाविशेषणम्; अव्ययवत् सप्तमी (adverb ‘in front’)

• व्यवस्थितः: stood stationed
• व्यवस्थितः: Kriya (State/action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अव-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas adorn Nandin with many jewels; Indra steps forward holding an elephant-hide as an offering, forming a ceremonial yet martial tableau before Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣa (Nandin/Bull of Śiva)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Gajajina (elephant-hide)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring Śiva includes honoring His vāhana (Nandin); reverence to the Lord naturally extends to His divine attendants and symbols.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the focus is on devotional offering within the Śaiva sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None as a rule; it depicts offering and decoration (alaṅkāra) as devotional acts.