Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

यमो महिषमास्थाय सेनाग्रे समवर्तत । चंडकिंकिणिवृंदेन सर्वतः परिवारितः

Transliteration

yamo mahiṣamāsthāya senāgre samavartata | caṃḍakiṃkiṇivṛṃdena sarvataḥ parivāritaḥ

Translation

Yama, monté sur un buffle, prit place à la tête de l’armée, entouré de toutes parts par une farouche multitude de clochettes au tintement retentissant.

Word by Word

• yamaḥ: Yama
• yamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mahiṣam: buffalo
• mahiṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• āsthāya: having mounted
• āsthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘आस्थाय’ = having mounted/ascended

• senāgre: at the front of the army
• senāgre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सेनायाः अग्रे (in front of the army)

• samavartata: stood/appeared (came forth)
• samavartata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• caṇḍakiṃkiṇivṛndena: by a host of fierce-bells (attendants)
• caṇḍakiṃkiṇivṛndena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍa + kiṃkiṇī + vṛnda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘चण्ड-किṃकिṇī-वृन्द’ = fierce-bell group/host

• sarvataḥ: on all sides
• sarvataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of direction)

• parivāritaḥ: surrounded
• parivāritaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः

Speaker

Deductive (contextual): narrator voice (often Sūta) describing Yama’s position

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama, dark and formidable, rides a massive buffalo at the army’s vanguard; around him a fierce retinue with clashing, ringing bells and grim attendants, forming a moving wall of sound and dread.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Buffalo (mahiṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic justice (Yama) is depicted as leading the forces that restrain adharma and protect the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is a battlefield tableau.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.