Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तथा वृषा गर्जमाना अश्वाञ्जघ्नुश्च सादिभिः । रथिभिश्च रथाञ्जघ्नुः कुंजरान्सादिभिः सह

Transliteration

tathā vṛṣā garjamānā aśvāñjaghnuśca sādibhiḥ | rathibhiśca rathāñjaghnuḥ kuṃjarānsādibhiḥ saha

Translation

तसेच गर्जना करणाऱ्या वृषभांनी स्वारांसह घोडे पाडले; आणि रथींनी रथांचा चुराडा केला, तसेच हत्तीही त्यांच्या आरोहांसह भूमीवर लोळविले।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb ‘thus/so’

• वृषाः: bulls
• वृषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गर्जमानाः: roaring
• गर्जमानाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garj (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘वृषाः’)

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• जघ्नुः: they struck/killed
• जघ्नुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction) = ‘and’

• सादिभिः: with riders/horsemen
• सादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• रथिभिः: with charioteers/chariot-warriors
• रथिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• जघ्नुः: they struck/killed
• जघ्नुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कुञ्जरान्: elephants
• कुञ्जरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṃjara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सादिभिः: with riders
• सादिभिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सहार्थक preposition-like indeclinable) = ‘together with’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dense battlefield: bellowing bulls charge through cavalry; horses and riders topple; chariots splinter; elephants collapse with mahouts—dust, broken wheels, and banners everywhere.

Characters & Entities

• Bulls (vṛṣa)
• Horses
• Charioteers
• Chariots
• Elephants

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse emphasizes the overwhelming momentum of karma and conflict—once adharma-driven war erupts, destruction spreads across all ranks and mounts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to Kedārakṣetra’s Kedāra-khaṇḍa, but this verse itself is not a direct tīrtha-praise (māhātmya) statement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a tactical description within the battle narrative.