Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ध्वजैश्च चामरैश्छत्रैः किंकिणैरथ शोभितम् । हंसवर्णहयैर्युक्तं महाकेतुसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

dhvajaiśca cāmaraiśchatraiḥ kiṃkiṇairatha śobhitam | haṃsavarṇahayairyuktaṃ mahāketusamanvitam

Translation

Il resplendissait de bannières, d’éventails en queue de yak, de parasols et de grelots tintants; attelé de chevaux blancs comme des cygnes et surmonté d’un grand étendard.

Word by Word

• ध्वजैः: with banners
• ध्वजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• चामरैः: with yak-tail fans
• चामरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• छत्रैः: with umbrellas
• छत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• किंकिणैः: with small bells
• किंकिणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकिणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अथ: and then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle: ‘then/and’)

• शोभितम्: adorned
• शोभितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ् (धातु) → शोभित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past participle), विशेषण (ratha-ādi-viśeṣaṇam)

• हंसवर्णहयैः: with swan-colored horses
• हंसवर्णहयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + वर्ण + हय (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (‘swan-colored horses’)

• युक्तम्: yoked/connected
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त विशेषण

• महाकेतुसमन्वितम्: endowed with a great standard
• महाकेतुसमन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकेतु + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सम्+अनु+इ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘endowed with a great banner/standard’), भूतकृदन्त विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The chariot is festooned with banners, parasols, yak-tail fans, and ringing bells; swan-white horses pull it, and a towering standard rises above, proclaiming victory and dharma.

Characters & Entities

• divine chariot (ratha)
• horses (haya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Royal power is portrayed as legitimate when aligned with dharma—its splendor serves a protective, cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The descriptive passage belongs to the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya framework, celebrating the Prabhāsa tradition that hosts such exemplary narratives.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse is ornamental description (alaṅkāra) of the ratha.