Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

गजेंद्रस्य पदं तत्र तत्रैव रसकूपिकाः । सप्त कुण्डानि तत्रैव रैवते पर्वतोत्तमे

Transliteration

gajeṃdrasya padaṃ tatra tatraiva rasakūpikāḥ | sapta kuṇḍāni tatraiva raivate parvatottame

Translation

Là aussi se trouve l’empreinte de Gajendra, et là même sont les puits de l’essence sacrée. Là encore se tiennent sept bassins saints, sur Raivata, le plus excellent des monts.

Word by Word

• गजेन्द्रस्य: of Gajendra (lord of elephants)
• गजेन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—गजानाम् इन्द्रः (गजेन्द्र)

• पदम्: footprint/step/place
• पदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तत्रैव: right there
• तत्रैव: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तत्र (there) + एव (just)

• रसकूपिकाः: wells/small wells of (sacred) rasa
• रसकूपिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस + कूपिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—रसस्य कूपिकाः

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; विशेषण (कुण्डानि)

• कुण्डानि: ponds/pools
• कुण्डानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• तत्रैव: right there
• तत्रैव: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तत्र (there) + एव (just)

• रैवते: on Raivata (mountain)
• रैवते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; ‘रैवत-पर्वते’ इत्यर्थः

• पर्वतोत्तमे: on the best of mountains
• पर्वतोत्तमे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—उत्तमः पर्वतः

Speaker

Śiva (continuing the tīrtha-description to Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gajendra-pada; Rasa-kūpikāḥ; Sapta-kuṇḍāni (on Raivata)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lofty sacred mountain with stone steps and shrines; a carved/marked elephant-footprint slab revered by pilgrims; nearby small wells with shimmering ‘rasa’ water; seven ponds reflecting the sky, with ascetics and families performing ācamana and offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Gajendra
• Raivata (mountain)
• Sapta Kuṇḍa (seven ponds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places preserve divine traces (like Gajendra’s footprint) and become reservoirs of merit through their tīrthas and kuṇḍas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha Kṣetra in the Prabhāsa region, especially the Raivata mountain area with seven kuṇḍas and rasa-wells.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated here; the verse primarily enumerates tīrtha-features (footprint, wells, and kuṇḍas) suitable for pilgrimage and reverent visitation.