Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

वृषवानरसिंहाजव्याघ्रसर्पास्थिताः पराः । गोधाश्वरासभारूढास्तथा च विहगाश्रिताः

Transliteration

vṛṣavānarasiṃhājavyāghrasarpāsthitāḥ parāḥ | godhāśvarāsabhārūḍhāstathā ca vihagāśritāḥ

Translation

മറ്റുചിലർ വൃഷഭം, വാനരം, നരസിംഹം, അജം, വ്യാഘ്രം, സർപ്പം എന്നിവയുടെ മേൽ ആസീനരായിരുന്നു. ചിലർ ഗോധ, അശ്വം, ഗർദഭം എന്നിവയിൽ ആരൂഢരായി; ചിലർ വിഹംഗങ്ങളുടെ ആശ്രയത്തിലായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वृषवानरसिंहाजव्याघ्रसर्पास्थिताः: standing upon bulls/monkeys/lions/goats/tigers/serpents
• वृषवानरसिंहाजव्याघ्रसर्पास्थिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + अज (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (धातु √स्था, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त 'standing/being on'; समाहार-तत्पुरुषः (locative sense): वृष-वानर-सिंह-अज-व्याघ्र-सर्पेषु स्थिताः (standing on bulls, monkeys, lions, goats, tigers, serpents)

• पराः: others
• पराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (others)

• गोधाश्वरासभारूढाः: mounted on iguanas, horses, and donkeys
• गोधाश्वरासभारूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रासभ (प्रातिपदिक) + रूढ (धातु √रुह्, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (locative sense): गोधा-अश्व-रासभेषु आरूढाः (mounted on iguanas/horses/donkeys)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

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

• विहगाश्रिताः: resting on birds
• विहगाश्रिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहग (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (धातु √श्रि, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः—विहगान् आश्रिताः (resting on/attached to birds)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; likely Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A surreal assembly: riders seated upon bulls, monkeys, lions, goats, tigers, and coiled serpents; others perched on lizards or asses; some borne aloft by birds—forming a chaotic yet patterned tableau near a sacred route.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The multiplicity of mounts and forms conveys that sacred narratives encompass many realms of beings, reminding the listener to honor dharma beyond ordinary categories.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter is a Tīrthamāhātmya within Nāgarakhaṇḍa; this verse alone does not name the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None appears in this verse.