Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

पवनोंऽकुशपाणिस्तु विस्तारितमहाजवः । महाऋक्षं समारूढं सेनाग्रे समदृश्यत

Transliteration

pavanoṃ'kuśapāṇistu vistāritamahājavaḥ | mahāṛkṣaṃ samārūḍhaṃ senāgre samadṛśyata

Translation

Pavana (Vāyu), tenant l’aiguillon en sa main et déployant une vitesse immense, fut aperçu à la tête de l’armée, monté sur un grand ours.

Word by Word

• pavanaḥ: Vāyu (Wind-god)
• pavanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• aṅkuśapāṇiḥ: goad-in-hand
• aṅkuśapāṇiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅkuśa + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘अङ्कुशः पाणौ यस्य’ (having a goad in hand)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• vistāritamahājavaḥ: with fully displayed great speed
• vistāritamahājavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vistārita + mahā + java (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘विस्तारितः महाजवः’ (great speed expanded/fully displayed)

• mahāṛkṣam: a great bear
• mahāṛkṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘महान् ऋक्षः’ (great bear)

• samārūḍham: mounted
• samārūḍham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘mounted’ (agreeing with pavanaḥ understood: ‘mounted on...’)

• senāgre: at the army-front
• senāgre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सेनायाः अग्रे

• samadṛśyata: was seen/appeared
• samadṛśyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘was seen/appeared’

Speaker

Deductive (contextual): narrator voice (often Sūta) describing Vāyu’s battle array

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāyu, swift and expansive, holds a goad as if steering invisible currents; he rides a great bear, surging at the army’s front like a living storm.

Characters & Entities

• Pavana (Vāyu)
• Aṅkuśa (goad)
• Great bear (mahāṛkṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine forces embody disciplined power—speed and strength directed toward the protection of cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse continues the martial description of the devas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.