Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

शिरांसि च कबन्धानि कवचानि महांति च । ध्वजारथाः पताकाश्च गजवाजिशिरांसि च

Transliteration

śirāṃsi ca kabandhāni kavacāni mahāṃti ca | dhvajārathāḥ patākāśca gajavājiśirāṃsi ca

Translation

Des têtes et des troncs sans tête, de grandes armures, des chars portant étendards et bannières—ainsi que des têtes d’éléphants et de chevaux—gisaient épars de toutes parts.

Word by Word

• śirāṃsi: heads
• śirāṃsi: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (शिरस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — neuter nom./acc. plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• kabandhāni: trunks (headless bodies)
• kabandhāni: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kabandha (कबन्ध) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — neuter nom./acc. plural

• kavacāni: armors
• kavacāni: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavaca (कवच) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — neuter nom./acc. plural

• mahānti: great, huge
• mahānti: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (महत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — neuter nom./acc. plural; qualifies kavacāni (and others)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• dhvaja-rathāḥ: banners and chariots
• dhvaja-rathāḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvaja (ध्वज) + ratha (रथ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — masculine nominative plural (dvandva: 'banners and chariots')

• patākāḥ: flags, pennants
• patākāḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patākā (पताका) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — feminine nominative plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• gaja-vāji-śirāṃsi: heads of elephants and horses
• gaja-vāji-śirāṃsi: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (गज) + vājin (वाजिन्) + śiras (शिरस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — neuter nom./acc. plural; 'heads of elephants and horses'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

Speaker

Lomaśa (contextual narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Aftermath tableau: severed heads and headless torsos, massive armor pieces, overturned chariots with torn banners, scattered elephant and horse heads—an eerie stillness over the wreckage.

Characters & Entities

• Kabandha
• Dhvajāratha (bannered chariots)
• Patākā (flags)
• Gaja (elephants)
• Vāji (horses)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse underscores the grim cost of conflict, urging remembrance of dharma and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly; it remains within the Kedārakhaṇḍa battle setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.