Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

आस्थाय रुचिरं याति पुष्पकं नरवाहनः । ऐरावणं समास्ताय शक्रश्चापि सुरैः सह

Transliteration

āsthāya ruciraṃ yāti puṣpakaṃ naravāhanaḥ | airāvaṇaṃ samāstāya śakraścāpi suraiḥ saha

Translation

Si Naravāhana (Kubera) ay naglakbay na nakasakay sa maringal na Puṣpaka; at si Śakra rin, na nakasakay sa Airāvata, ay sumama kasama ng mga diyos.

Word by Word

• आस्थाय: having mounted/taken
• आस्थाय: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्था (कृदन्त; आ-√स्था (धातु) ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययभावे कृदन्त; ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund) ‘having mounted/taken’

• रुचिरम्: beautiful
• रुचिरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया) एकवचन; विशेषण

• याति: goes/proceeds
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुष्पकम्: Puṣpaka (the aerial car)
• पुष्पकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया) एकवचन

• नरवाहनः: Naravāhana (Kubera)
• नरवाहनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘नराणां वाहनः’ (epithet)

• ऐरावणम्: Airāvata
• ऐरावणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया) एकवचन

• समास्ताय: having mounted
• समास्ताय: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: समास्ता (कृदन्त; सम्-आ-√स्था (धातु) ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययभावे कृदन्त; ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund) ‘having mounted’

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• सुरैः: with the gods
• सुरैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया) बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (with)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kubera rides the splendid Puṣpaka, gleaming like a flying palace; Indra rides Airāvata, the white elephant, surrounded by gods—an aerial and terrestrial escort converging in one procession.

Characters & Entities

• Naravāhana (Kubera)
• Puṣpaka
• Śakra (Indra)
• Airāvata
• Suras (gods)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Celestial status and power are shown as subordinate roles within a larger divine order, moving together in sacred alignment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is part of a divine travel/procession description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.