Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अनेकसैनिकोपेत आखेटिकुलसंकुलः । पादुकागूढचरणो रक्तोष्णीषो हरिच्छदः

Transliteration

anekasainikopeta ākheṭikulasaṃkulaḥ | pādukāgūḍhacaraṇo raktoṣṇīṣo haricchadaḥ

Translation

അവൻ അനേകം സൈനികരോടുകൂടിയവനും വേട്ടക്കാരുടെ കുലങ്ങളാൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടവനും ആയിരുന്നു; പാദുകകളാൽ മൂടിയ പാദങ്ങൾ, ചുവന്ന ഉഷ്ണീഷം, പച്ച വസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• aneka-sainika-upetaḥ: accompanied by many soldiers
• aneka-sainika-upetaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + sainika (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (उप-इ (धातु) से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past participle)

• ākheṭi-kula-saṃkulaḥ: thronged with hunting clans/tribes
• ākheṭi-kula-saṃkulaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākheṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pādukā-gūḍha-caraṇaḥ: with feet hidden by sandals
• pādukā-gūḍha-caraṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pādukā (प्रातिपदिक) + gūḍha (गुह्/गूढ (धातु) से क्त) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त-विशेषण; ‘whose feet are concealed by sandals’

• rakta-uṣṇīṣaḥ: wearing a red turban
• rakta-uṣṇīṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + uṣṇīṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• hari-cchadaḥ: clad in green (lit. ‘hari-colored’)
• hari-cchadaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + chada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma-khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha/Setukṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king advances with a large military escort; hunter families cluster around as guides. He wears sandals, a red turban, and a green garment—distinctive color-coding against the forest backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights royal splendor and worldly readiness, which later contrasts with the superior authority of ascetic virtue and sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu region is the larger frame; this verse itself is a character-description within that pilgrimage narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.