Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

गजान्खरान्परे चैव शकटांश्च तथा परे । पादाता बहवो दैत्याः खङ्गशक्त्यृष्टिपाणयः

Transliteration

gajānkharānpare caiva śakaṭāṃśca tathā pare | pādātā bahavo daityāḥ khaṅgaśaktyṛṣṭipāṇayaḥ

Translation

ചിലർക്കു ആനകളും കഴുതകളും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; മറ്റുചിലർക്കു ശകടങ്ങൾ (വണ്ടിരഥങ്ങൾ) ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അനേകം ദൈത്യർ പാദാതികളായി യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തു; കൈകളിൽ ഖഡ്ഗം, ശക്തി, ഋഷ്ടി (കുന്തം) വഹിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• गजान्: elephants
• गजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• खरान्: donkeys
• खरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (अन्ये)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• शकटान्: carts
• शकटान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: likewise)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (दैत्याः)

• पादाताः: foot-soldiers
• पादाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (पादाताः/दैत्याः)

• दैत्याः: demons (Daityas)
• दैत्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• खङ्ग-शक्ति-ऋष्टि-पाणयः: having hands with swords, spears and lances
• खङ्ग-शक्ति-ऋष्टि-पाणयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'येषां पाणयः खङ्गशक्त्यृष्टिभिः युक्ताः' (having hands bearing sword, spear, lance)

Speaker

Lomaśa (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (typical Skanda frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic battlefield muster: Daityas in ranks—some with elephants and asses, others with carts; many foot-soldiers brandishing swords, javelins, and spears, dust rising under a darkened sky.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Elephants
• Asses
• Carts
• Swords
• Śakti (javelin)
• Ṛṣṭi (spear)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores how conflict mobilizes every resource—yet true victory in Purāṇas is ultimately determined by dharma, not armaments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.