Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 129
Devanagari script
रुधिरौघह्रदावर्ता गजदेहशिलोच्चया । कबंधनृत्यबहुला महा सुरप्रवाहिनी
Transliteration
rudhiraughahradāvartā gajadehaśiloccayā | kabaṃdhanṛtyabahulā mahā surapravāhinī
Translation
ಮಹಾಸುರರ ಮಹಾಪ್ರವಾಹಿನಿ ಉಕ್ಕಿಬಂತು—ರಕ್ತಪ್ರವಾಹದ ಹ್ರದಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಆವರ್ತಗಳು ಅದರವು; ಆನೆದೇಹಗಳ ಶಿಲಾಸ್ತೂಪಗಳು ಅದರ ಗುಡ್ಡಗಳು; ನೃತ್ಯಿಸುವ ಕಬಂಧಗಳಿಂದ ಅದರ ವಿಸ್ತಾರ ತುಂಬಿತು.
Word by Word
रुधिरौघह्रदावर्ताhaving pools and whirlpools of torrents of blood
रुधिरौघह्रदावर्ता:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootरुधिर + ओघ + ह्रद + आवर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘रुधिरौघः ह्रदः आवर्तः यस्याः/यत्र’ इति बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; Nominative singular feminine
गजदेहशिलोच्चयाheaped with rock-like elephant bodies
गजदेहशिलोच्चया:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootगज + देह + शिला + उच्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गजदेह-शिलासमूहयुक्ता’ इति; Nominative singular feminine
कबन्धनृत्यबहुलाabounding in the dancing of headless trunks
कबन्धनृत्यबहुला:
Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकबन्ध + नृत्य + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कबन्धानां नृत्येन बहुला’ इति; Nominative singular feminine
महाgreat
महा:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; irregular stem महत् → महा; Nominative singular feminine
सुरप्रवाहिनीa stream/river of warriors (lit. gods)
सुरप्रवाहिनी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर + प्रवाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सुराणां प्रवाहः’ इति; Nominative singular feminine
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)
Tirtha Mahatmya
Type: river
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A surreal river surging across the battlefield: eddies and pools made of blood-torrents; ‘rocks’ are piled elephant bodies; countless headless trunks (kabandhas) appear to dance amid the current.
Characters & Entities
K
Kabaṃdha (headless trunks)G
Gaja (elephants)FAQs
The horrific ‘river of blood’ metaphor warns that adharma-driven conflict floods the world with suffering and disorder.
No specific sacred geography is praised in this verse.
None.