Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

ततः करेणुमानीय वडवां वा सुमध्यमे । गौरीचतुष्टयं तच्च समारोप्य तथोपरि

Transliteration

tataḥ kareṇumānīya vaḍavāṃ vā sumadhyame | gaurīcatuṣṭayaṃ tacca samāropya tathopari

Translation

Then, O fair-waisted one, bringing a female elephant—or else a mare—one should place upon it that set of four Gaurīs, arranging them properly on top.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/अनन्तरार्थक — adverb ‘then/thereafter’

• करेणुम्: a female elephant
• करेणुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• आनीय: having brought
• आनीय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्) अव्ययकृदन्त — absolutive/gerund: ‘having brought’

• वडवाम्: a mare
• वडवाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वडवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात — disjunctive particle ‘or’

• सुमध्यमे: O slender-waisted one
• सुमध्यमे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-मध्यमा (प्रातिपदिक; सु + मध्यमा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (सुन्दरं मध्यं यस्याः)

• गौरीचतुष्टयम्: a set of four (images) of Gaurī
• गौरीचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी-चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक; गौरी + चतुष्टय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गौर्याः चतुष्टयम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात — conjunction/particle

• समारोप्य: having placed (upon)
• समारोप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह्/रोप् (धातु; समारोपयति)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्) अव्ययकृदन्त — absolutive/gerund: ‘having placed/caused to mount’

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय — adverb ‘thus/so’

• उपरि: on top/above
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय — adverb/preposition ‘above/on top’

Speaker

Lakṣmī (contextual instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: suma-dhyamā (fair-waisted lady)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ceremonial elephant (or mare) is led forward, draped in cloth and bells; atop it is placed a carefully arranged quartet of Gaurī icons, while attendants steady the platform and priests guide the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī (catuṣṭaya)
• Kareṇu (female elephant)
• Vaḍavā (mare)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The rite externalizes reverence through orderly, public devotion—treating the Goddess’s forms with ceremonial honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate context is a water-site ritual sequence (later verses mention river/pond/tank), indicating a tīrtha setting though unnamed here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bring a female elephant or a mare and ceremonially place the ‘four Gaurīs’ upon it for the next ritual act.