Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

विमानस्थाश्च केचिच्च वृषारूढाश्च केचन । सर्वे स्फटिकसंकाशाः सर्वे चंद्रार्द्धशेखराः

Transliteration

vimānasthāśca kecicca vṛṣārūḍhāśca kecana | sarve sphaṭikasaṃkāśāḥ sarve caṃdrārddhaśekharāḥ

Translation

ചിലർ ദിവ്യവിമാനങ്ങളിൽ ഇരുന്നിരുന്നു; ചിലർ വൃഷഭാരൂഢരായിരുന്നു. എല്ലാവരും സ്ഫടികംപോലെ ദീപ്തരായി, എല്ലാവരുടെയും ശിരസ്സിൽ അർദ്ധചന്ദ്രം ശോഭിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• विमानस्थाः: standing in aerial cars
• विमानस्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमान + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: ‘विमाने स्थाः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• वृषारूढाः: mounted on bulls
• वृषारूढाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष + आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक); रुह् (धातु) → आरूढ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सप्तमी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘वृषे आरूढाः’ (mounted on a bull)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• केचन: others/some
• केचन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + चन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• स्फटिकसंकाशाः: crystal-like in appearance
• स्फटिकसंकाशाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फटिक + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); उपमान-तत्पुरुष: ‘स्फटिकवत् संकाशाः’

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

• चन्द्रार्धशेखराः: those with the half-moon as crest
• चन्द्रार्धशेखराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + अर्ध + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘चन्द्रस्य अर्धं शेखरः यस्य’ (conventional epithet)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced, Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial assembly appears: some seated in shining vimānas, others riding bulls; all crystal-bright, each crowned with a crescent moon like Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Vimānas
• Vṛṣa (bull)
• Crescent moon (ardha-candra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s realm is marked by recognizable sacred symbols; divine attendants mirror Śiva’s own iconography, affirming his presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra tīrtha (Kedarnath) in the Kedāra Khaṇḍa narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, strengthening faith through vivid portrayal of Śaiva signs.