Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ततो हृष्टाः सुरगणाः शक्राद्याः स्तंभमुत्तमम् । जांबूनदमयं शुभ्रं रणभूमौ विनिक्षिपुः

Transliteration

tato hṛṣṭāḥ suragaṇāḥ śakrādyāḥ staṃbhamuttamam | jāṃbūnadamayaṃ śubhraṃ raṇabhūmau vinikṣipuḥ

Translation

Then the hosts of gods—Indra and the rest—rejoicing, set down upon the battlefield an excellent pillar, radiant and made of Jāmbūnada gold.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• हृष्टाः: delighted
• हृष्टाः: Karta-vishesana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु) → हृष्ट (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); कर्तृविशेषण

• सुरगणाः: groups of gods
• सुरगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां गणाः)

• शक्राद्याः: beginning with Indra
• शक्राद्याः: Karta-vishesana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ‘शक्रः आदिः येषाम्’ (starting with Indra)

• स्तंभम्: pillar
• स्तंभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma-vishesana (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण

• जांबूनदमयम्: made of Jāmbūnada gold
• जांबूनदमयम्: Karma-vishesana (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाम्बूनद + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद (जाम्बूनदेन मयः = made of Jāmbūnada-gold)

• शुभ्रम्: bright/white
• शुभ्रम्: Karma-vishesana (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण

• रणभूमौ: on the battlefield
• रणभूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रणस्य भूमिः)

• विनिक्षिपुः: placed/laid down
• विनिक्षिपुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-क्षिप् (धातु) + वि-उपसर्ग
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāmbūnada-stambha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra and the gods, jubilant, lower an excellent radiant pillar of Jāmbūnada gold onto the battlefield, as if planting victory into the earth.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Devas
• Jāmbūnada (gold)
• Battlefield

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous victory is commemorated by consecration—transforming the battlefield into sacred geography through dharmic installation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The battlefield itself becomes sanctified as the locus for the golden victory-pillar, leading to the Stambheśvara sacred site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Placing/installing the sacred stambha (pillar) as a formal act following victory.