Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मयूरान्राजहंसांश्च कुक्कुटांश्च तथा परे । केचिद्धयान्समारूढा उष्ट्रानश्वतरानपि

Transliteration

mayūrānrājahaṃsāṃśca kukkuṭāṃśca tathā pare | keciddhayānsamārūḍhā uṣṭrānaśvatarānapi

Translation

D’autres chevauchaient des paons, des cygnes royaux, et même des coqs. Certains montaient des coursiers, et aussi des chameaux et des mulets.

Word by Word

• मयूरान्: peacocks
• मयूरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• राजहंसान्: royal swans/geese
• राजहंसान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजहंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• कुक्कुटान्: cocks/roosters
• कुक्कुटान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्कुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (likewise)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘others’

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (some)

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समारूढाः: mounted upon
• समारूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘केचित्’)

• उष्ट्रान्: camels
• उष्ट्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अश्वतरान्: mules
• अश्वतरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A surreal cavalcade: riders on peacocks with iridescent tails, royal swans gliding as mounts, even cock-riders; alongside, camels and mules add earthy contrast to the celestial spectacle.

Characters & Entities

• Peacocks
• Royal swans (rājahaṃsa)
• Cocks
• Horses
• Camels
• Mules

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays the vast variety of forces marshalled for conflict, suggesting the many forms through which adharma seeks dominance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is explicitly glorified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.