Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

वृषभक्षेत्रचंडेशदुर्गाश्च स्कंदनंदिनौ । गणेशः सैन्यपश्चैव स्वस्वलक्षणलक्षिताः

Transliteration

vṛṣabhakṣetracaṃḍeśadurgāśca skaṃdanaṃdinau | gaṇeśaḥ sainyapaścaiva svasvalakṣaṇalakṣitāḥ

Translation

वृषभः क्षेत्रपालश्चण्डेशो दुर्गा च, स्कन्दनन्दिनौ, गणेशः सैन्यपश्च—एते स्वस्वलक्षणलक्षिताः स्थाप्याः पूज्याश्च।

Word by Word

• वृषभ-क्षेत्र-चण्डेश-दुर्गाः: Vṛṣabhā, Kṣetrā, Caṇḍeśā, and Durgā
• वृषभ-क्षेत्र-चण्डेश-दुर्गाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चण्डेश (प्रातिपदिक) + दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्व-समासः (समाहार/इतरेतर) — ‘Vṛṣabhā, Kṣetrā, Caṇḍeśā, Durgā’ (देव्यः/शक्तयः)

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

• स्कन्द-नन्दिनौ: Skanda and Nandin
• स्कन्द-नन्दिनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; द्वन्द्व-समासः (इतरेतर)

• गणेशः: Gaṇeśa
• गणेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सैन्यपः: the army-commander/leader
• सैन्यपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘सेनापति/सैन्यपाल’ अर्थे

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

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

• स्व-स्व-लक्षण-लक्षिताः: marked by their respective characteristics
• स्व-स्व-लक्षण-लक्षिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षित (कृदन्त; √लक्ष् (धातु), क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः—‘स्वस्वलक्षणैः लक्षिताः’ (each marked by its own characteristics)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa ritual instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consecration tableau: around a central Śiva/Sadāśiva shrine, parivāra deities are placed at prescribed stations—Nandin facing the sanctum, Gaṇeśa near entrance, Kṣetrapāla at boundary, Caṇḍeśa to the side with palm-leaf/axe, Durgā with lion, Skanda with spear and peacock, Vṛṣabha as bull emblem, and a senāpati figure with banner/armor—each clearly marked by their lakṣaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣabha
• Kṣetrapāla
• Caṇḍeśvara
• Durgā
• Skanda
• Nandin
• Gaṇeśa
• Senāpati (Sainyapa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes complete when the devotee honors the Lord together with His sacred entourage and guardians of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single location is named; the verse is applicable to Śaiva temple worship generally (parivāra-devatā pūjā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship each attendant deity—Vṛṣabha, Kṣetrapāla, Caṇḍeśa, Durgā, Skanda, Nandin, Gaṇeśa, and the senāpati—according to their specific iconographic marks (lakṣaṇas).