Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

बद्धगोधांगुलित्राणो धृतकोदण्डसायकः । कक्ष्याबद्धमहाखङ्गः श्वेताश्ववरमास्थितः

Transliteration

baddhagodhāṃgulitrāṇo dhṛtakodaṇḍasāyakaḥ | kakṣyābaddhamahākhaṅgaḥ śvetāśvavaramāsthitaḥ

Translation

Il portait des protège-doigts attachés de cuir d’iguane, tenait arc et flèches, avait une grande épée ceinte à la taille et chevauchait un excellent cheval blanc.

Word by Word

• baddha-godhā-aṃguli-trāṇaḥ: wearing bound iguana(-skin) finger-guards
• baddha-godhā-aṃguli-trāṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baddha (बन्ध् (धातु) से क्त) + godhā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃguli (प्रातिपदिक) + trāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त-विशेषण; ‘wearing finger-guards made of/with iguana-skin’

• dhṛta-kodaṇḍa-sāyakaḥ: holding a bow and arrows
• dhṛta-kodaṇḍa-sāyakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛta (धृ (धातु) से क्त) + kodaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त-विशेषण; ‘holding bow and arrows’

• kakṣyā-baddha-mahā-khaṅgaḥ: with a great sword tied at the waist
• kakṣyā-baddha-mahā-khaṅgaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kakṣyā (प्रातिपदिक) + baddha (बन्ध् (धातु) से क्त) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त-विशेषण; ‘with a great sword fastened at the waist’

• śveta-aśva-varam: the excellent white horse
• śveta-aśva-varam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śveta (प्रातिपदिक) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• āsthitaḥ: mounted
• āsthitaḥ: Karta (Predicate participle of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘mounted/ascended’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma-khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha/Setukṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of the king’s martial readiness: iguana-leather finger-guards, bow and arrows in hand, a great sword at the waist, seated firmly on a splendid white horse—poised for threats in the wild.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Martial preparedness and status are shown in detail, setting up the later moral reversal when spiritual insight outweighs worldly force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukhaṇḍa overall pertains to the Setu/Rāmeśvaram sacred circuit; this verse is narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.