Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तथोद्यतो योगिनाचक्रयुक्ता गणा गणानां गणानां पतिरेकवर्चसाम् । शिवंपुरस्कृत्य तदानुभावास्तथैव सर्वे गणनायकाश्च

Transliteration

tathodyato yoginācakrayuktā gaṇā gaṇānāṃ gaṇānāṃ patirekavarcasām | śivaṃpuraskṛtya tadānubhāvāstathaiva sarve gaṇanāyakāśca

Translation

അപ്പോൾ യോഗിനീചക്രവുമായി സംയുക്തരായ ഗണങ്ങൾ മുന്നോട്ട് നീങ്ങി. ഗണങ്ങളുടെ അധിപൻ ഏകതേജസ്സാൽ ദീപ്തനായി അഗ്രഭാഗത്ത് പുറപ്പെട്ടു. ശിവനെ മുൻപിൽ സ്ഥാപിച്ച് ആ മഹാപ്രഭാവമുള്ള ഗണനായകരെല്ലാം കൂടെ മുന്നേറി.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• उद्यतः: ready, risen
• उद्यतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√yam (यम्) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle) — ‘raised/ready’

• योगिनी-चक्र-युक्ताः: joined with the yoginī-circle
• योगिनी-चक्र-युक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (√yuj, युज्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (योगिनीनां चक्रेण/चक्रे युक्ताः) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• गणाः: the troops/attendants
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• गणानाम्: of the gaṇas
• गणानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• गणानाम्: of the gaṇas
• गणानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (पुनरुक्ति/उत्कर्षार्थ)

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एक-वर्चसाम्: of those of single/unique splendor
• एक-वर्चसाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + varcas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमास (एकं वर्चः येषाम्)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पुरस्कृत्य: having put in front; with ... at the fore
• पुरस्कृत्य: Kriya-Visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras-√kṛ (कृ) + ल्यप् (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having placed in front’

• तद्-अनुभावाः: those of that power/majesty
• तद्-अनुभावाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + anubhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (तस्य अनुभावाः)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

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

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• गण-नायकाः: leaders of the gaṇas
• गण-नायकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + nāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (गणानां नायकाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedārakṣetra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forward-moving host of gaṇas in ordered ranks, luminous gaṇapati at the fore, Śiva symbolically leading; yoginī-cakra forms a whirling mandala behind, banners and weapons raised, Himalayan backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaṇas
• Gaṇapati (lord of the Gaṇas, implied)
• Yoginī-cakra
• Gaṇa-nāyakas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All spiritual powers and retinues gain meaning when Śiva is honored as the foremost; leadership is sanctified by devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, within the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s celebration of Śiva’s presence and entourage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is a narrative depiction of Śiva’s divine company and procession.