Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तथैव दक्षिणे पार्श्वे द्वावश्वौ दंशितौ कृतौ । रत्नालंकारसंयुक्तांल्लोकपालांस्तथैव च

Transliteration

tathaiva dakṣiṇe pārśve dvāvaśvau daṃśitau kṛtau | ratnālaṃkārasaṃyuktāṃllokapālāṃstathaiva ca

Translation

അതുപോലെ ദക്ഷിണ വശത്ത് രണ്ടു ലഗാമിട്ട് നിയന്ത്രിച്ച അശ്വങ്ങളെ നിർമ്മിച്ചു. അതുപോലെ തന്നെ ലോകപാലന്മാരെയും രത്നാലങ്കാരങ്ങളോടെ അലങ്കരിച്ച് സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle of emphasis)

• दक्षिणे: on the right
• दक्षिणे: Adhikara (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (पार्श्वे इति पदस्य)

• पार्श्वे: at the side
• पार्श्वे: Adhikara (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• अश्वौ: two horses
• अश्वौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• दंशितौ: caparisoned, equipped
• दंशितौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंशित (दंश् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (सज्जीकृत/आभरणयुक्त)

• कृतौ: made, arranged
• कृतौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण

• रत्नालंकारसंयुक्तान्: adorned with jewel-ornaments
• रत्नालंकारसंयुक्तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न + अलंकार + संयुक्त (युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रत्नालंकारैः संयुक्तान् = joined/ornamented with jewel-ornaments)

• लोकपालान्: the world-guardians (Lokapālas)
• लोकपालान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालाः = guardians of the worlds)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

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

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two bridled horses on the right, poised and ornamented; nearby stand the Lokapālas, jeweled and radiant, arranged as directional guardians around a sacred center.

Characters & Entities

• Lokapāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The presence of Lokapālas signifies that dharma safeguards the world, and the tīrtha mirrors cosmic governance under the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, as the narrative celebrates its divine, world-encompassing sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated in this verse.