Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

गणैर्बहुभिरासाद्य तारकं च महाबलम् । मुचुकुंदं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा तथैव च सुरानपि

Transliteration

gaṇairbahubhirāsādya tārakaṃ ca mahābalam | mucukuṃdaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā tathaiva ca surānapi

Translation

ବହୁ ଗଣ ମହାବଳୀ ତାରକକୁ ଘେରିଲେ; ମୁଚୁକୁନ୍ଦକୁ ପଛେ ରଖି, ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ସେମାନେ ସମରମୁଖେ ଅଗ୍ରସର ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• गणैः: by the troops/attendants
• गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; adjective

• आसाद्य: having approached/assailed
• आसाद्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया — Absolutive (having approached/attacked)

• तारकम्: Tāraka
• तारकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाबलम्: very strong/mighty
• महाबलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective

• मुचुकुंदम्: Mucukunda
• मुचुकुंदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुचुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/at the back
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb of place

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया — Absolutive (having made/placed)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक) — adverb (in that manner)

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tight battle formation: gaṇas swarm around the mighty Tāraka; Mucukunda stands as a rear-guard with devas behind, closing the ring for confrontation.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Tāraka
• Mucukunda
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through disciplined collective effort—divine forces act with order, not chaos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred landscape (Kedārakhaṇḍa) frames the narrative; this verse focuses on the combat arrangement rather than a specific shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.