Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

वामपार्श्वे गजौ द्वौ च शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ । चतुर्दतौ षष्टिवर्षौ महात्मानौ महाप्रभौ

Transliteration

vāmapārśve gajau dvau ca śuddhakāśmīrasannibhau | caturdatau ṣaṣṭivarṣau mahātmānau mahāprabhau

Translation

ഇടത് വശത്ത് രണ്ടു ഗജങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; ശുദ്ധ കാശ്മീര-ശ്വേതംപോലെ ദീപ്തം. അവ ചതുര്ദന്തങ്ങൾ, അറുപത് വയസ്സുള്ളവ, മഹാത്മാക്കളും മഹാപ്രഭാവമുള്ളവയും ആയിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वामपार्श्वे: on the left side
• वामपार्श्वे: Adhikara (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वामं पार्श्वम् = left side)

• गजौ: two elephants
• गजौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (Numeral modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ: resembling pure Kashmir (very white)
• शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध + काश्मीर + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुद्धकाश्मीरस्य सन्निभौ = resembling pure Kashmir [snow/whiteness])

• चतुर्दतौ: four-tusked
• चतुर्दतौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास (चत्वारः दन्ताः यस्य = four-tusked)

• षष्टिवर्षौ: sixty years old
• षष्टिवर्षौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास (षष्टिः वर्षाणि यस्य = sixty years old)

• महात्मानौ: great-souled
• महात्मानौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महन् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा = great-souled)

• महाप्रभौ: very powerful
• महाप्रभौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण; कर्मधारय (महान् प्रभुः = very mighty)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two majestic elephants on the left, shining like pure Kashmir-white, with four tusks, mature and radiant—posed as ceremonial guardians flanking a divine display.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is depicted as a royal-divine court, implying that service to sacred places is service to the cosmic order (dharma).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra in the Himalayan region, within the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears; it is a descriptive verse of the divine entourage and setting.