Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

रथा गजाश्च पतितास्तुरंगाश्च श्रमान्विताः । स्थिता वमंतो धावंतो गलद्द्रुतवसास्रजः

Transliteration

rathā gajāśca patitāsturaṃgāśca śramānvitāḥ | sthitā vamaṃto dhāvaṃto galaddrutavasāsrajaḥ

Translation

รถศึกและช้างล้มคว่ำอยู่; ม้าทั้งหลายถูกความเหนื่อยล้าครอบงำ บ้างยืน บ้างวิ่งพลางอาเจียน โดยพวงมาลัยและเครื่องประดับหลวมคลายไหลย้อยหยดลง

Word by Word

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गजाः: elephants
• गजाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• पतिताः: fallen
• पतिताः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (पत् धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• तुरंगाः: horses
• तुरंगाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• श्रम-अन्विताः: wearied / exhausted
• श्रम-अन्विताः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रम-अन्वित (श्रम प्रातिपदिक + अन्वित (अन्वि/अनु-इ धातु; क्त))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तृतीया/सह-भावार्थक-तत्पुरुषः (श्रमेन अन्विताः = श्रमयुक्ताः)

• स्थिताः: standing
• स्थिताः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (स्था धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (स्थित = standing)

• वमन्तः: vomiting
• वमन्तः: Karta (Agentive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वम् (धातु; शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शतृ (present active participle)

• धावन्तः: running
• धावन्तः: Karta (Agentive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धाव् (धातु; शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शतृ (present active participle)

• गलत्-द्रुत-वसा-स्रजः: whose garlands of fat were dripping/oozing
• गलत्-द्रुत-वसा-स्रजः: Karta (Agentive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गलत् (गल् धातु; शतृ) + द्रुत (द्रु धातु; क्त) + वसा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्रज्/स्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (येषां वसाः स्रजः च द्रुताः/स्रवन्ति, ते)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Broken chariots toppled; elephants collapsed; horses staggering, some running in panic, foaming and vomiting; garlands and harnesses slipping and dripping as the army dissolves into confusion.

Characters & Entities

• Daityas (implied army context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Material strength and military might collapse under the weight of karma and divine ordinance; endurance without dharma is fragile.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; the verse is battle/calamity description, not a tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None mentioned.