Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ध्वजैश्च चामरैश्छत्रैः किंकिणैरथ शोभितम् । हंसवर्णहयैर्युक्तं महाकेतुसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

dhvajaiśca cāmaraiśchatraiḥ kiṃkiṇairatha śobhitam | haṃsavarṇahayairyuktaṃ mahāketusamanvitam

Translation

وہ جھنڈوں، چَمر (یاک دُم کے پنکھوں)، چھتریوں اور چھن چھن کرتی گھنٹیوں سے آراستہ تھا۔ ہنس کی مانند سفید گھوڑوں سے جُتا ہوا اور عظیم عَلَم سے سرفراز تھا۔

Word by Word

• ध्वजैः: with banners
• ध्वजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• चामरैः: with yak-tail fans
• चामरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• छत्रैः: with umbrellas
• छत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• किंकिणैः: with small bells
• किंकिणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकिणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अथ: and then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle: ‘then/and’)

• शोभितम्: adorned
• शोभितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ् (धातु) → शोभित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past participle), विशेषण (ratha-ādi-viśeṣaṇam)

• हंसवर्णहयैः: with swan-colored horses
• हंसवर्णहयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + वर्ण + हय (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (‘swan-colored horses’)

• युक्तम्: yoked/connected
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त विशेषण

• महाकेतुसमन्वितम्: endowed with a great standard
• महाकेतुसमन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकेतु + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सम्+अनु+इ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘endowed with a great banner/standard’), भूतकृदन्त विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The chariot is festooned with banners, parasols, yak-tail fans, and ringing bells; swan-white horses pull it, and a towering standard rises above, proclaiming victory and dharma.

Characters & Entities

• divine chariot (ratha)
• horses (haya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Royal power is portrayed as legitimate when aligned with dharma—its splendor serves a protective, cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The descriptive passage belongs to the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya framework, celebrating the Prabhāsa tradition that hosts such exemplary narratives.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse is ornamental description (alaṅkāra) of the ratha.