Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

सावित्र आसिकश्चापि गांधारः कुशिकस्तथा । ऋषभश्च तथा खड्गो गांधारीयश्च मध्यमः

Transliteration

sāvitra āsikaścāpi gāṃdhāraḥ kuśikastathā | ṛṣabhaśca tathā khaḍgo gāṃdhārīyaśca madhyamaḥ

Translation

अपरेऽपि नामानि—सावित्रः, आसिकश्च, गान्धारः, कुशिकस्तथा; ऋषभः, खड्गः, गान्धारीयः, मध्यमश्च।

Word by Word

• सावित्रः: Sāvitra (name)
• सावित्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• आसिकः: Āsika (name)
• आसिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

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

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

• गान्धारः: Gāndhāra (name)
• गान्धारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• कुशिकः: Kuśika (name)
• कुशिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise/and so)

• ऋषभः: Ṛṣabha (name/bull)
• ऋषभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक

• खड्गः: Khaḍga (sword; name)
• खड्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• गान्धारीयः: Gāndhārīya (of Gāndhāra; name)
• गान्धारीयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गान्धार + ईय (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तद्धित-प्रत्यय (ईय) ‘belonging to Gāndhāra’

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

• मध्यमः: Madhyama (middle; name)
• मध्यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/disciples (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reciter counts kalpa names on a mālā while a scroll unfurls showing successive kalpas as panels; faint silhouettes of ancient peoples/regions appear as symbolic echoes of the names.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitra
• Āsika
• Gāndhāra
• Kuśika
• Ṛṣabha
• Khaḍga
• Gāndhārīya
• Madhyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Enumerating cosmic periods reinforces that creation proceeds through ordered cycles known to the Purāṇic tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is glorified; this is a continuation of a cosmological name-list.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as a mnemonic catalogue of kalpa names.