Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

लाघवात्क्षिप्रमुत्थाय ततोऽमरमहागजः । रणादपससर्पाथ भीषितो निमिहस्तिना

Transliteration

lāghavātkṣipramutthāya tato'maramahāgajaḥ | raṇādapasasarpātha bhīṣito nimihastinā

Translation

پھر چستی سے فوراً اٹھ کر وہ عظیم آسمانی ہاتھی میدانِ جنگ سے پیچھے ہٹ گیا، نِمی کی ہاتھی جیسی قوت سے دہشت زدہ ہو کر۔

Word by Word

• lāghavāt: from lightness/quickness
• lāghavāt: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• utthāya: having risen up
• utthāya: Kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having risen)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (then/thereupon)

• amara-mahā-gajaḥ: the great elephant of the immortals (devas)
• amara-mahā-gajaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (amarāṇāṃ mahāgajaḥ)

• raṇāt: from the battle
• raṇāt: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• apasasarpaa: withdrew/crept away
• apasasarpaa: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-√sṛp (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (then/and then)

• bhīṣitaḥ: frightened
• bhīṣitaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhī (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• nimi-hastinā: by Nimi's elephant
• nimi-hastinā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimi (प्रातिपदिक) + hastin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nimeḥ hastī)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant celestial elephant, moments ago charging, suddenly springs back and withdraws from the battlefield, intimidated by Nimi’s elephant-like might; dust and churned earth mark the retreat.

Characters & Entities

• Nimi
• Airāvata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Courage and intensity can overturn assumed hierarchies; steadfastness influences outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.