Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स्वानि रूपाणि बिभ्रंतः समापेतुः स हस्रशः । केचिद्व्याघ्रान्समारूढा महिषांश्च तथा परे

Transliteration

svāni rūpāṇi bibhraṃtaḥ samāpetuḥ sa hasraśaḥ | kecidvyāghrānsamārūḍhā mahiṣāṃśca tathā pare

Translation

ತಮ್ಮ ತಮ್ಮ ರೂಪಗಳನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿ ಅವರು ಸಾವಿರಾರು ಸಂಖ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸೇರಿದರು. ಕೆಲವರು ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಏರಿದರು; ಇತರರು ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಎಮ್ಮೆಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಏರಿದರು।

Word by Word

• स्वानि: their own
• स्वानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘रूपाणि’)

• रूपाणि: forms
• रूपाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• बिभ्रन्तः: bearing, assuming
• बिभ्रन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied subject)

• समापेतुः: came together, assembled
• समापेतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + इ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand
• सहस्रशः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, संख्यावाचक-प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: by thousands)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite: some)

• व्याघ्रान्: tigers
• व्याघ्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समारूढाः: mounted upon
• समारूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘केचित्’)

• महिषान्: buffaloes
• महिषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus/likewise)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘others’ (substantivized adjective)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Thousands of warriors assemble, each in distinct form; lines of riders on tigers and buffaloes surge forward, creating a patterned, almost ceremonial yet menacing procession.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas (implied)
• Tigers
• Buffaloes

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It depicts the swelling of adharma’s forces through spectacle and intimidation—outer display is not equal to inner righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.