Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

ततः पृष्ठिं समारोप्य घटोत्कचमनिंदिता । नानाद्रव्यपरीवारा शक्रप्रस्थं समाव्रजत्

Transliteration

tataḥ pṛṣṭhiṃ samāropya ghaṭotkacamaniṃditā | nānādravyaparīvārā śakraprasthaṃ samāvrajat

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ആ കുറ്റമറ്റ സ്ത്രീ ഘടോത്കചനെ തന്റെ പുറത്ത് കയറ്റി, നാനാവിധ സമ്പത്തുകളും പരിചാരകരും കൂടെ ശക്രപ്രസ്ഥത്തിലേക്ക് പുറപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Avyaya (Sequential)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (thereupon)

• pṛṣṭhim: back (of someone/animal)
• pṛṣṭhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• samāropya: having mounted (upon)
• samāropya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-rup/rop (धातु: ā+ruh/ropay)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having mounted/placed upon’

• ghaṭotkacam: Ghaṭotkaca
• ghaṭotkacam: Adhikarana/Karma (Object of mounting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṭa-utkaca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन; proper noun; समासः (नामसमास)

• aniṃditā: the blameless (woman)
• aniṃditā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aniṃditā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (not blameworthy)

• nānādravya-parīvārā: accompanied by various goods/retinue
• nānādravya-parīvārā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā + dravya + parīvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः: बहुव्रीहि—‘having an entourage consisting of various goods’

• śakraprastham: Śakraprastha (Indraprastha)
• śakraprastham: Karma (Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra-prastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śakrasya prasthaḥ)

• samāvrajat: went/arrived
• samāvrajat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-vraj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa) (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śakraprastha/Indraprastha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The blameless lady mounts Ghaṭotkaca’s back; a grand entourage with valuables moves toward Śakraprastha—an extraordinary, airborne/rapid journey implied by the rakṣasa hero’s prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Ghaṭotkaca
• Śakraprastha
• Maurvī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For dhārmic rites, one proceeds with proper preparation and respectful accompaniment, reflecting order and auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śakraprastha is mentioned as the destination, but the verse does not present it as a tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates a marriage-related journey with gifts and retinue.