Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वपादः कम्बलश्च खंजनः खर एव च । गोमुखश्चैव जंघालो गणनाथश्च वारणः

Transliteration

ūrdhvapādaḥ kambalaśca khaṃjanaḥ khara eva ca | gomukhaścaiva jaṃghālo gaṇanāthaśca vāraṇaḥ

Translation

Ūrdhvapāda, Kambala, Khaṃjana et aussi Khara ; Gomukha, Jaṃghāla, Gaṇanātha et Vāraṇa — tels sont les Kṣetrapālas que l’on se remémore en louange.

Word by Word

• ऊर्ध्वपादः: one whose feet are raised / Upright-footed
• ऊर्ध्वपादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive)

• कम्बलः: Kambala (a name)
• कम्बलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• खंजनः: Khañjana (a name; 'wagtail')
• खंजनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खंजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• खरः: Khara (a name; 'donkey')
• खरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

• गोमुखः: cow-faced (Gomukha)
• गोमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• जंघालः: Jaṅghāla (a name; 'long-legged')
• जंघालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंघाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गणनाथः: lord of the gaṇas
• गणनाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of the gaṇas)

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

• वारणः: Vāraṇa (a name; 'elephant')
• वारणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

The hymn-reciter/devotee (as instructed by Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ring of eight guardians with distinct emblems—some animal-faced (Gomukha), some with unusual postures (Ūrdhvapāda), some stout or swift—stand like sentinels around a Śiva shrine courtyard as the devotee recites their names.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapālas
• Ūrdhvapāda
• Kambala
• Khaṃjana
• Khara
• Gomukha
• Jaṃghāla
• Gaṇanātha
• Vāraṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The many names indicate many modes of protection—sacred places are upheld by layered guardianship and divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not specify a single tīrtha; it continues the generalized praise of Kṣetrapālas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continued stotra recitation through enumerating guardian names (nāma-stuti).