Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

गरुडो दयितं पुत्रं मयूरं चित्रबर्हिणम् । अरुणस्ताम्रचूडं च प्रददौ चरणायुधम्

Transliteration

garuḍo dayitaṃ putraṃ mayūraṃ citrabarhiṇam | aruṇastāmracūḍaṃ ca pradadau caraṇāyudham

Translation

ഗരുഡൻ തന്റെ പ്രിയപുത്രനായ ചിത്രബർഹിണ മയൂരത്തെ സമർപ്പിച്ചു; അരുണൻ ധ്വജത്തിൽ ധരിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന താമ്രചൂഡ (കുക്കുടചിഹ്നം) ചരണായുധമായി നൽകി।

Word by Word

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दयितम्: beloved
• दयितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पुत्रम्/मयूरम्)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मयूरम्: peacock
• मयूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to पुत्रम्

• चित्रबर्हिणम्: having variegated plumage
• चित्रबर्हिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra-barhin (प्रातिपदिक; चित्र + बर्हिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying मयूरम्)

• अरुणः: Aruṇa
• अरुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ताम्रचूडम्: the red-crested one (a rooster)
• ताम्रचूडम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmra-cūḍa (प्रातिपदिक; ताम्र + चूड)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रददौ: bestowed
• प्रददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒ धातु) + pra (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चरणायुधम्: a weapon for the feet (foot-weapon)
• चरणायुधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa-āyudha (प्रातिपदिक; चरण + आयुध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Garuḍa presents his beloved son, the peacock with jeweled, variegated tail; Aruṇa offers the copper-crested cock emblem to be borne on Skanda’s banner—an investiture of mount and standard.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Mayūra (peacock)
• Aruṇa
• Tāmra-cūḍa (cock emblem)
• Kumāra/Skanda (recipient, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine symbols (vāhana and banner-emblems) express inner virtues—splendor, vigilance, and victorious dharma—made visible for the world’s guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse explains iconographic gifts associated with Kumāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative of bestowing sacred insignia.