Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

वामपार्श्वे गजौ द्वौ च शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ । चतुर्दतौ षष्टिवर्षौ महात्मानौ महाप्रभौ

Transliteration

vāmapārśve gajau dvau ca śuddhakāśmīrasannibhau | caturdatau ṣaṣṭivarṣau mahātmānau mahāprabhau

Translation

Sur le côté gauche se tenaient deux éléphants, éclatants comme la blancheur pure du Cachemire—à quatre défenses, âgés de soixante ans, nobles d’âme et d’un grand rayonnement.

Word by Word

• वामपार्श्वे: on the left side
• वामपार्श्वे: Adhikara (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वामं पार्श्वम् = left side)

• गजौ: two elephants
• गजौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (Numeral modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ: resembling pure Kashmir (very white)
• शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध + काश्मीर + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुद्धकाश्मीरस्य सन्निभौ = resembling pure Kashmir [snow/whiteness])

• चतुर्दतौ: four-tusked
• चतुर्दतौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास (चत्वारः दन्ताः यस्य = four-tusked)

• षष्टिवर्षौ: sixty years old
• षष्टिवर्षौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास (षष्टिः वर्षाणि यस्य = sixty years old)

• महात्मानौ: great-souled
• महात्मानौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महन् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा = great-souled)

• महाप्रभौ: very powerful
• महाप्रभौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; कर्मधारय (महान् प्रभुः = very mighty)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two majestic elephants on the left, shining like pure Kashmir-white, with four tusks, mature and radiant—posed as ceremonial guardians flanking a divine display.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is depicted as a royal-divine court, implying that service to sacred places is service to the cosmic order (dharma).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra in the Himalayan region, within the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears; it is a descriptive verse of the divine entourage and setting.