Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पर्वताभे गजे भीमे मदस्राविणि दुर्दमे । सितचित्रपताके तु प्रभिन्नकरटामुखे

Transliteration

parvatābhe gaje bhīme madasrāviṇi durdame | sitacitrapatāke tu prabhinnakaraṭāmukhe

Translation

पर्वतासारख्या प्रचंड, भयंकर, मदस्राव करणाऱ्या व आवरण्यास कठीण अशा हत्तीवर, शुभ्र चित्रित ध्वजा धारण करून, फाटलेल्या कपोलांतून धार वाहत तो पुढे सरसावला।

Word by Word

• पर्वताभे: in/at (one) mountain-like
• पर्वताभे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वत + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• गजे: on the elephant
• गजे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative singular masculine)

• भीमे: terrible
• भीमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• मदस्राविणि: oozing rut-fluid
• मदस्राविणि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद + स्राविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• दुर्दमे: hard to subdue
• दुर्दमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• सितचित्रपताके: with white, variegated banners
• सितचित्रपताके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित + चित्र + पताका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधानार्थक/विरोधार्थक-निपातः (particle: but/indeed)

• प्रभिन्नकरटामुखे: with split temples and face (of the elephant)
• प्रभिन्नकरटामुखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभिन्न + करट + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative singular masculine)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing context from 20.1)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mountain-like war-elephant surges forward, rut-fluid streaming from split temples; a white patterned banner flutters above; the atmosphere is dust-laden and ominous as the beast advances toward Hari’s side.

Characters & Entities

• Elephant (war-mount)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer power and terrifying display are depicted as transient; dharma is not measured by spectacle but by alignment with the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None stated; the verse is a martial description rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.