Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

दिशां गजास्तत्र पद्मकुमुदांजनवामनाः । तदधोंऽडकटाहश्च एकवीरास्ति तत्र च

Transliteration

diśāṃ gajāstatra padmakumudāṃjanavāmanāḥ | tadadhoṃ'ḍakaṭāhaśca ekavīrāsti tatra ca

Translation

There are the elephants of the directions there—Padma, Kumuda, Añjana, and Vāmana. Below that is the realm called Oṃḍakaṭāha, and there too is (one named) Ekavīra.

Word by Word

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• गजाः: elephants
• गजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha/Adhikarana (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• पद्मकुमुदांजनवामनाः: Padma, Kumuda, Añjana, and Vāmana (names)
• पद्मकुमुदांजनवामनाः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कुमुद (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नामसमूह; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चारि नामानि)

• तत्: then/that
• तत्: Discourse/Reference (निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (निर्देश)

• अधः: below
• अधः: Desha (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक)

• अण्डकटाहः: the cosmic ‘egg-cauldron’ (a region)
• अण्डकटाहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + कटाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अण्डस्य कटाहः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

• एकवीरः: Ekavīra (name)
• एकवीरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (एकः वीरः)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha/Adhikarana (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक)

• च: also/and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four (or eight) colossal elephants stationed at the quarters, named Padma, Kumuda, Añjana, Vāmana; beneath them a cauldron-like dark realm ‘Oṃḍakaṭāha’; a solitary heroic figure/entity ‘Ekavīra’ present there.

Characters & Entities

• Diggaja
• Padma
• Kumuda
• Añjana
• Vāmana
• Oṃḍakaṭāha
• Ekavīra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic cosmology presents an ordered universe with guardians and layers, reinforcing the idea of dharma sustaining cosmic stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a catalog of cosmic beings/regions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.